Definition of ATTRIBUTIONS (original) (raw)
1
: the act of attributing something
especially : the ascribing of a work (as of literature or art) to a particular author or artist
2
: an ascribed quality, character, or right
Supernatural powers were attributions of the gods.
3
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
Synonyms
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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which in the lead-up to the election made formal attributions of online propaganda campaigns to countries like Iran and Russia, declined to comment. —Kevin Collier, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024 Friday’s disclosure follows the ODNI’s public attribution of three other fake videos in recent weeks to Russia. —Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024 Earlier this year, Forbes threatened legal action against the AI firm for ripping off its work without attribution. —Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Oct. 2024 Frank will lead a centralized, cross-platform research and measurement team developing attribution models and analytics that inform and shape future ad innovation. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for attribution 
Word History
First Known Use
1598, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of attribution was in 1598
Dictionary Entries Near attribution
Cite this Entry
“Attribution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attribution. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
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Last Updated: 17 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences
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