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/in

The coach's positive attitude was a contributing factor to/in the team's success.

Examples of contributing factor in a Sentence

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Human error—a contributing factor in most crashes, if not their direct cause—can also stem from equipment failure, as in the case of Pan Am Flight 812 in 1974 and Air France Flight 447 in 2009. —

Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2025 None of the charges brought by the state allege that alcohol was a contributing factor in the accident. —

Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025 Another contributing factor to it sticking around is how much parents engaged with this one. —

Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 29 Dec. 2024 Another contributing factor has to do with the changing socialization patterns of younger generations. —

Solcyré Burga, TIME, 1 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for contributing factor

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“Contributing factor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contributing%20factor. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.

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