# put down to

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/put-down-to
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To ascribe; to assume to be the cause of a situation.

## Examples

- I put his bad mood down to a lack of sleep.
- The manager put the team's poor performance down to the recent changes in company policy.
- The historian put the sudden collapse of the ancient civilization down to a combination of severe drought and internal political instability.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.