ascribe

USAGE SUMMARY

'ascribe' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to attribute ownership or responsibility for something to someone. For example, "The teacher ascribed the success of the project to the hard work of the students."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It is too early to ascribe value in our target price, but our blue sky points to around £200m of value (25% of current enterprise value) by 2020.

The Guardian - Business

Assuming a nominal $5 a barrel value, the resource announced today would be worth a significant proportion of Cairn's market capitalisation (on an unrisked basis – it is likely the market will not ascribe full value at this early stage).

The Guardian - Business

We could ascribe all of these investments to some kind of misplaced avarice.

The Guardian

Although friends and foe alike ascribe consistency of purpose to Gove's record, I'm inclined to think the legacy will be as contradictory as the man himself.

The Guardian

Whatever intentions you ascribe to Freud and IDS and Cameron, there can be no doubt they have engineered Britain's crisis of hunger, simply by blocking their ears to all the evidence and pressing ahead.

The Guardian - Opinion

They also ascribe apparently "missing" data to the fact that their data set is a work in progress.

The Economist

Sometimes a firm hand is needed for diplomacy to work in the defence of democracy and liberties.Jaime Bermúdez Former minister of foreign affairs Luis Guillermo Plata Former minister of trade Bogotá* SIR - Sometimes it is easier to ascribe actions to sinister purposes, even when the facts lead elsewhere ("Just collecting the rent, really", Americas view, December 22nd).

The Economist

Mr Davis's problem is that he is perceived not only as ineffectual but insipid; a bad combination for any leader.Bruce Warren TomsSan Carlos, CaliforniaIf the suit fits...SIR – You are wrong to ascribe the feelgood factor primarily to females ("The female feelgood factor", September 27th).

The Economist

They routinely ascribe those firms' rapid growth in recent years to their copious supply of cheap labour, or to generous financial backing from the state, rather than inventiveness.

The Economist

Human-rights groups note the history of brutality in Colombia's armed forces, as well as links between some military officers and the paramilitaries.Some critics ascribe Colombia's difficulties mainly to what they consider to be the failings of its democracy, and see the guerrillas as the product of political exclusion and socio-economic injustice.

The Economist

Is it really possible to ascribe the performance of a big company to the individual who happens to sit in the executive chair?

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "ascribe", ensure that the attribution is logical and supported by evidence. Avoid making unsubstantiated claims about cause and effect.

Common error

A common error is to "ascribe" an outcome to a single cause when multiple factors are at play. Consider all contributing elements before attributing a result to a specific source.

Linguistic Context

The verb "ascribe" functions primarily to attribute a quality, characteristic, cause, or origin to someone or something. As Ludwig AI explains, it's used to assign ownership or responsibility. The examples show "ascribe" being used to link actions to motives, qualities to individuals, or effects to causes.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

77%

Formal & Business

13%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "ascribe" is a versatile verb used to attribute qualities, causes, or origins to specific entities, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Predominantly found in news and media, and formal business contexts, its function is to provide explanations and interpretations. While grammatically correct and widely used, it's important to avoid misattributing causality by oversimplifying complex relationships. Related terms include "attribute", "impute", and "assign", each offering slightly different nuances. Remember to use "ascribe" when you want to assign qualities or characteristics to someone or something based on available evidence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

attribute

This is a direct synonym, focusing on assigning a quality or characteristic.

impute

Implies assigning blame or responsibility, often negative.

assign

Suggests a more formal allocation or designation.

credit

Highlights recognition or praise for an accomplishment.

connect

Emphasizes linking one thing to another, often causally.

refer

Implies a connection or relation to something.

chalk up to

An idiomatic way of attributing something, usually to a particular cause.

lay at the door of

Indicates placing blame or responsibility on someone.

trace back to

Highlights the origin or source of something.

put down to

A more informal way of attributing something to a cause or reason.

FAQs

How can I use "ascribe" in a sentence?

You can use "ascribe" to attribute a cause or characteristic to someone or something, for example: "One may "ascribe" these problems to the federal government".

What is a good substitute for "ascribe"?

Alternatives to "ascribe" include "attribute", "impute", or "assign", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to use "attribute" or "ascribe"?

"Attribute" and "ascribe" are often interchangeable, but "ascribe" can sometimes imply a degree of uncertainty or speculation in the attribution. "Attribute" is generally more neutral.

What does it mean to "ascribe" value to something?

To "ascribe" value means to assign a particular level of importance or worth to something. For instance, "Capital markets "ascribe value" to all assets—tangible and intangible alike".