ascribe to a theory
/əˈskraɪb tuː ə ˈθɪəri/
Meaning
This phrase means to believe in, support, or align oneself with a particular scientific, economic, or philosophical explanation. It is highly formal and commonly used in academic debates, research, or intellectual discussions. It suggests a reasoned, deliberate acceptance of a specific school of thought.
Examples
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Many modern economists do not ascribe to this theory of market behavior.
Many modern economists do not ascribe to this theory of market behavior.
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As a scientist, I cannot ascribe to a theory that lacks empirical evidence.
As a scientist, I cannot ascribe to a theory that lacks empirical evidence.
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She used to ascribe to the theory that success is purely a matter of luck.
She used to ascribe to the theory that success is purely a matter of luck.
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Do you ascribe to the theory of continental drift as it was originally proposed?
Do you ascribe to the theory of continental drift as it was originally proposed?
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He wrote a paper explaining why researchers should no longer ascribe to this theory.
He wrote a paper explaining why researchers should no longer ascribe to this theory.
Common Mistakes
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✗ Many scholars ascribe with this theory.
✓ Many scholars ascribe to this theory.
The verb 'ascribe' must be followed by the preposition 'to', not 'with', when expressing belief or alignment.
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✗ They ascribe the theory that human behavior is fixed.
✓ They subscribe to the theory that human behavior is fixed.
Without the preposition 'to', 'ascribe' means to attribute a quality to something. To express belief in a concept, you must include 'to' (or use the very similar and common synonym 'subscribe to').
Related Expressions
Practice
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It is unscientific to simply ___ without analyzing the empirical evidence first.
💡 believe in or support an intellectual explanation
Show answer
ascribe to a theory
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If you decide to ___, you should be prepared to defend it with facts.
💡 align yourself with a scientific explanation
Show answer
ascribe to a theory