English Reference
Idiom idiom

be attributed to sb


to say or believe that someone is the creator or cause of something.


SIMPLE

“This beautiful painting is attributed to a famous artist.”

CONTEXTUAL

“Many of the most popular quotes on the internet are incorrectly attributed to people who never actually said them.”

COMPLEX

“The sudden shift in the company's financial strategy is widely attributed to the new director, whose reputation for aggressive growth precedes him.”

Last updated April 22, 2026