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Synonyms

attributable

American  
[uh-trib-yoo-tuh-buhl] / əˈtrɪb jʊ tə bəl /

adjective

  1. able to be considered the result of the cause indicated.

    Its success in becoming one of the most livable urban environments is attributable to a bold long-term vision, expressed in unconventional planning decisions.

  2. able to be considered a quality or characteristic of the person, thing, group, etc., indicated.

    To eliminate variability in brain measurements attributable to gender, only males were included in this study.

  3. able to be considered the work or action of the person or group indicated.

    Statements in this blog are made solely by the author and are not attributable to the law firm for which she works.

  4. able to be considered a product of the indicated period, culture, etc..

    The theme for performances at the carnival is anything attributable to the 16th century—any art, science, game, martial activity, or cuisine.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of attributable

attribut(e) ( def. ) + -able ( def. )

Explanation

The adjective attributable describes something that is capable of indicating or explaining a cause. Just because your parent found small fingerprints on the fridge and a chair against the counter, it does not mean the mess in the kitchen is attributable to you — it just seems like it! Attributable comes from the Latin word attribuere, meaning assign or bestow. Attributable is related to the words attribute, which is both a noun and a verb, and attributions, which is a noun. You latest promotion is attributable to your hard work. You work ethic is one of your best attributes, and you can attribute that to the way your parents raised you.

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Vocabulary lists containing attributable

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

It fell to 900,000 directly attributable deaths in 2023, making it the 14th leading cause of death.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

"The fatal crash was, with a high degree of probability, attributable to a situation from which there was no escape, resulting from insufficient lift and the low altitude above the ground," it said.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

There are also signs of particular weakness among young workers in jobs highly exposed to AI, though it’s difficult to determine how much of that weakness is attributable to the technology.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026

“The findings provide additional evidence supporting the role of a 6-8 hours’ sleep duration as a health safeguard for middle-aged and older adults, likely attributable to more favorable distributions of sleep stages,” the authors say.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 24, 2026

The amount of ink was attributable to the fact that Nikita Khrushchev and Nikolai Bulganin paid a surprise visit to a garden party held in Moscow for the American chess team.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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