Synonyms of ascribe

ascribe

verb

ə-ˈskrīb 

as in to attribute

to explain (something) as being the result of something else

ascribed their stunning military victory to good intelligence beforehand

Synonyms & Similar Words

• attribute
• impute
• credit
• blame
• refer
• lay
• accredit
• assign
• put down
• chalk up
• attach
• connect
• link
• pin (on)
• impute (to)
• associate
• charge
• father (on)

Synonym Chooser

How is the word ascribe different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of ascribe are assign, attribute, credit, and impute. While all these words mean "to lay something to the account of a person or thing," ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship.

forged paintings formerly ascribed to masters

When could assign be used to replace ascribe?

The words assign and ascribe are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation.

assigned the bones to the Cretaceous period

How is attribute related to other words for ascribe?

Attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe, less definiteness than assign.

attributed to Rembrandt but possibly done by an associate

When would credit be a good substitute for ascribe?

Although the words credit and ascribe have much in common, credit implies ascribing a thing or especially an action to a person or other thing as its agent, source, or explanation.

credited his teammates for his success

Where would impute be a reasonable alternative to ascribe?

While the synonyms impute and ascribe are close in meaning, impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame.

tried to impute sinister motives to my actions

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of ascribe

That’s how much value Morgan Stanley analysts led by Adam Jones ascribe to Tesla’s auto business, less than a fifth of Tesla’s current share price, while holding a buy rating for the company on similar optimism on AI and robotics. —Derek Saul, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

This is Rasoulof showing us in visceral terms what likely happened to Amini herself, whose death authorities ascribed to a stroke while in hospital. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 27 Nov. 2024

The trauma is ascribed to the violation of the tender feelings of those terribly frightened by Trump’s victory, and nowhere is the concern more salient than in higher education. —Richard E. Vatz, Baltimore Sun, 14 Nov. 2024

First, the tendency to ascribe intelligence and free will to machines, and second, the assumption that computer output is always more accurate than human output. —Luis E. Romero, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024