contributing factor
noun
: something that helps cause a result
According to the police report of the accident, excessive speed was a contributing factor.
—often + to/inThe coach's positive attitude was a contributing factor to/in the team's success.
Examples of contributing factor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Two countries sharing a common language is as big a contributing factor to trade between them as sharing a physical border, according to a French government research office that found trade is 72% higher than between linguistically distant countries.
—
Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The data does not offer a definitive cause, but the researchers speculate that some of the pandemic’s unique circumstances could be a contributing factor.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2025
Revenues are expected to increase by roughly 28% this year, with recovery in its CPU business being a contributing factor.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The council has also warned about the risk of Americans driving under the influence of alcohol, as holidays often include celebrations involving alcohol consumption, which the NSC said is a major contributing factor to motor-vehicle crashes.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contributing factor
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Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The data does not offer a definitive cause, but the researchers speculate that some of the pandemic’s unique circumstances could be a contributing factor.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2025
Revenues are expected to increase by roughly 28% this year, with recovery in its CPU business being a contributing factor.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The council has also warned about the risk of Americans driving under the influence of alcohol, as holidays often include celebrations involving alcohol consumption, which the NSC said is a major contributing factor to motor-vehicle crashes.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contributing factor
Cite this Entry
“Contributing factor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contributing%20factor. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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