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as in to ascribe
to explain (something) as being the result of something else accredits his good choice of movies to reading a reviewer who seldom steers him wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb accredit differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of accredit are approve, certify, endorse, and sanction. While all these words mean "to have or express a favorable opinion of," accredit and certify usually imply official endorsement attesting to conformity to set standards.

the board voted to accredit the college
must be certified to teach

In what contexts can approve take the place of accredit?

The words approve and accredit are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, approve often implies no more than this but may suggest considerable esteem or admiration.

the parents approve of the marriage

When can endorse be used instead of accredit?

The words endorse and accredit can be used in similar contexts, but endorse suggests an explicit statement of support.

publicly endorsed her for Senator

When is sanction a more appropriate choice than accredit?

In some situations, the words sanction and accredit are roughly equivalent. However, sanction implies both approval and authorization.

the President sanctioned covert operations

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of accredit The release notes that Ringo was the second-oldest living harbor seal in North American zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, and far surpassed the 23-year median life expectancy of harbor seals living in human care. Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 6 Dec. 2024 The Media Rating Council, which accredits audience measurement models from such companies as Nielsen, Comscore and VideoAmp, gave a thumbs-up to Nielsen’s plan to incorporate first-party data from streaming outlets into its national TV ratings panel. Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2024 Without the department or the accrediting agencies, Trump would potentially have more jurisdiction over what standards colleges must follow to receive federal money. Lily Kepner, Austin American-Statesman, 18 Nov. 2024 The big picture: For decades, the Virginia Department of Education used an accreditation system to measure performance across multiple school quality indicators, classifying them as accredited, accredited with conditions or not accredited. Karri Peifer, Axios, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for accredit 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accredit
Verb
  • Freud was the proponent of etiology, a backward-looking theory that ascribes our behavior today to our shaping and forming early in life.
    Tim Maurer, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
  • Meme culture is rife with examples of how symbols are ascribed new consensus meanings through new social agreements.
    Aarushi Bhandari, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Calmer winds enabled firefighters to start gaining some control of the biggest blazes in metropolitan Los Angeles on Friday before gusty weather returns over the weekend to an area that hasn't seen rain in more than eight months.
    MANUEL VALDES, JULIE WATSON, JOHN SEEWER AND HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, arkansasonline.com, 11 Jan. 2025
  • By partnering with providers that share their eco-conscious values, Guide to Iceland enables travelers to explore responsibly.
    Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Kotb and her colleagues applauded when the song finished, with Kotb thanking Kermit at its conclusion.
    Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Others applauded Kris and James Armstrong’s selflessness in light of such sudden challenges.
    Susan Young, People.com, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The City Council will vote Tuesday to approve the salary and terms of Milstein’s contract which will authorize her to oversee thousands of city employees and a $1.5 billion budget.
    Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 12 Jan. 2025
  • Father Missing a Limb and Son with Cerebral Palsy Weren't Able to Evacuate L.A. Fires in Time, Family Says CNN reported that the family applied for assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency which was not approved.
    Escher Walcott, People.com, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Network Forensics: Tracing and attributing digital threats.
    Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Israel attributes much of the destruction to Hamas, the militant group that launched the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and abducted 250.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • During the Mackinac Island trip, Mr. Nash’s team urged Ms. Bondi to avoid the matter and nudge other Republican attorneys general to do the same, according to two people who attended the event, who were not authorized to speak publicly because the conversations were supposed to be confidential.
    Eric Lipton, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
  • The official spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
    Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • But Trump supporters hailed Underwood’s decision, and compared it (positively) to Taylor Swift endorsing Joe Biden last year.
    James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Jan. 2025
  • Near the site where the signing ceremony had been scheduled, California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot hailed the cooperative effort that led to the designations as a paradigm shift.
    Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was ratified in the Senate, 93 votes to 5.
    Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
  • With 32 million copies sold worldwide by the end of 1983, Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, and was ratified by Guinness World Records on Feb. 7, 1984.
    Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 4 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near accredit

Cite this Entry

“Accredit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accredit. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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