impute

American  

[im-pyoot] / ɪmˈpyut /

verb (used with object)

imputed, imputing

1. to attribute or ascribe.

   The children imputed magical powers to the old woman.

2. to attribute or ascribe (something discreditable), as to a person.

3. Law. to ascribe to or charge (a person) with an act or quality because of the conduct of another over whom one has control or for whose acts or conduct one is responsible.

4. Theology. to attribute (righteousness, guilt, etc.) to a person or persons vicariously; ascribe as derived from another.

5. Obsolete. to charge (a person) with fault.

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impute British  

/ ɪmˈpjuːt /

verb

1. to attribute or ascribe (something dishonest or dishonourable, esp a criminal offence) to a person

2. to attribute to a source or cause

   I impute your success to nepotism

3. commerce to give (a notional value) to goods or services when the real value is unknown

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Related Words

See attribute.

Other Word Forms

• imputable adjective
• imputation noun
• imputative adjective
• imputatively adverb
• imputativeness noun
• imputedly adverb
• imputer noun
• nonimputable adjective
• nonimputableness noun
• nonimputably adverb
• nonimputative adjective
• nonimputatively adverb
• nonimputativeness noun
• unimputable adjective

Etymology

Origin of impute

1325–75; Middle English imputen < Latin imputāre, equivalent to im- im- ¹ + putāre to assess, reckon, think; see putative

Explanation

The verb impute can be used to blame someone for doing something bad, give credit for good work, or just tell it like it is, like when you impute your lateness to my not telling you where to meet me. When you impute something, you name the cause of something that has happened. For example, you might impute your ability to sing well to the thousands of dollars your parents spent in voice lessons. In other words, you name the source. You can also impute a person, like imputing to a teacher your love of learning — he or she helped you become more interested in school and your classes.

Example Sentences

That’s not to impute criminality on the part of any of those running to succeed the term-limited Gavin Newsom.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2025

Justice Chandrachud said his comment on seeking divine guidance was because “I am a person of faith” and “to impute motives to judges is not right”.

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2024

We can’t impute the human motives of revenge to creatures whose intelligence and emotions are funneled through an entirely different evolutionary scheme.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 28, 2023

One of the risks we outlined was that people impute communicative intent to things that seem humanlike.

From Washington Post • Jun. 17, 2022

“And do you impute it to either of those?”

From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

Related Words

• ascribe