attribution

noun

at·tri·bu·tion ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-shən

plural attributions

Synonyms of attribution next

: the act of attributing something

especially : the ascribing of a work (as of literature or art) to a particular author or artist

: an ascribed quality, character, or right

Supernatural powers were attributions of the gods.

psychology : the interpretive process by which people make judgments about the causes of their own behavior and the behavior of others

Psychologists have long documented what they call the fundamental attribution error, the tendency for people to explain human behavior in terms of the traits of individual actors, even when powerful situational forces are at work.—

Erica Goode

attributional

ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-sh(ə-)nəl

adjective

Examples of attribution in a Sentence

a genuine respect for one another is one of the most commonly cited attributions of a happily married couple

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Quantifying Operational Changes External factors like market conditions or staffing changes may overshadow many incremental efficiency gains, making direct attribution difficult. —

Dr. Milan Kumar, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 The painting shows an atypically erotic subject for Poussin, which once cast doubt on its attribution. —

The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 1 Oct. 2024 Their research compares the impact of quickly naming and shaming foreign influence actors to other recent US elections in which government attribution was far less common. —

Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2024 Editor's note: The attribution in this story was updated to reflect that Stroh is the legal surname of Jordan Stroh Ouellette. —

Alexandria Burris, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for attribution