ascribe

verb

1. To say that something is caused by, belongs to, or is the result of a particular person, thing, or reason.

   B2

   transitive; ascribe something to someone or something

   • "She ascribed her success to hard work."B1
   • "The study ascribes the decline in sales to changing customer habits."B2
   • "Many people ascribe their good health to a balanced diet."B2
   • "His unusually calm response was ascribed to years of experience in crisis management."C1

2. To say that a piece of writing, artwork, or other work was created by a particular person.

   C1

   transitive; ascribe something to someoneformal

   • "The poem was once ascribed to Shakespeare."B2
   • "The painting is ascribed to a follower of Rembrandt rather than to Rembrandt himself."C1