1. to attribute or ascribe (something, especially something bad or undesirable) to someone or something
Usage: formal

Examples

• The critics imputed the company’s failure to poor management.
• She refused to let others impute selfish motives to her charitable work.
• The detective was careful not to impute guilt before gathering all the evidence.
• Historians impute the empire’s decline to economic instability.
• It would be unfair to impute blame to the entire team for one person’s mistake.
• The journalist imputed the politician’s silence to fear of controversy.