associate

American  

[uh-soh-shee-ayt, -see-, uh-soh-shee-it, -ayt, -see-] / əˈsoʊ ʃiˌeɪt, -si-, əˈsoʊ ʃi ɪt, -ˌeɪt, -si- /

verb (used with object)

• associates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• associated,
  past participle,  past
• associating
  present participle

1. to connect or bring into relation, as thought, feeling, memory, etc..

   Many people associate dark clouds with depression and gloom.

   Synonyms:

   relate, couple, connect

   Antonyms:

   distinguish

2. to join as a companion, partner, or ally.

   to associate oneself with a cause.

3. to unite; combine.

   coal associated with shale.

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verb (used without object)

• associates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• associated,
  past participle,  past
• associating
  present participle

1. to enter into union; unite.

2. to keep company, as a friend, companion, or ally.

   He was accused of associating with known criminals.

3. to join together as partners or colleagues.

noun

• associates
  plural

1. a person who shares actively in anything as a business, enterprise, or undertaking; partner; colleague; fellow worker.

   He consulted with his associates before proceeding further.

   Antonyms:

   adversary

2. a companion or comrade.

   my most intimate associates.

   Antonyms:

   adversary

3. a confederate; an accomplice or ally.

   criminal associates.

   Antonyms:

   adversary

4. anything usually accompanying or associated with another; an accompaniment or concomitant.

5. a person who is admitted to a subordinate degree of membership in an association or institution.

   an associate of the Royal Academy.

adjective

1. connected, joined, or related, especially as a companion or colleague; having equal or nearly equal responsibility.

   an associate partner.

2. having subordinate status; without full rights and privileges.

   an associate member.

3. allied; concomitant.

associate British  

verb

1. (tr) to link or connect in the mind or imagination

   to associate Christmas with fun

2. (intr) to keep company; mix socially

   to associate with writers

3. (intr) to form or join an association, group, etc

4. (tr; usually passive) to consider in conjunction; connect

   rainfall is associated with humidity

5. (tr) to bring (a person, esp oneself) into friendship, partnership, etc

6. (tr; often passive) to express agreement or allow oneself to be connected (with)

   Bertrand Russell was associated with the peace movement

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noun

1. a person joined with another or others in an enterprise, business, etc; partner; colleague

2. a companion or friend

3. something that usually accompanies another thing; concomitant

   hope is an associate to happiness

4. a person having a subordinate position in or admitted to only partial membership of an institution, association, etc

adjective

1. joined with another or others in an enterprise, business, etc; having equal or nearly equal status

   an associate director

2. having partial rights and privileges or subordinate status

   an associate member

3. accompanying; concomitant

Usage

What does associate mean? An associate is a person who shares in business as a partner, stakeholder, or colleague. To associate is to connect or relate multiple things together. The noun form of associate, pronounced uh-soh-shee-it, often refers to a business partner but can also be used more generally to describe a friend or even an acquaintance. Associate is also used to describe more sinister partnerships, such as an accomplice in a crime or a member of a gang or crime organization. The verb form, pronounced uh-soh-shee-eyt, can be used to mean to connect or unite people. When you associate yourself with someone else, you may be working with them, you may be friends or romantic partners, or you may even be a customer. People who are associated will often be discussed in a pair or group. Associate can also mean to connect or relate, as with objects and feelings or memories. For example, you may associate naan with your grandmother who used to make this bread whenever you visited. Or you may associate a favorite book with the memory of a teacher who introduced you to the book. Example: I always associate gingerbread with the holidays, but it’s good all year round.

Synonym Usage

See acquaintance.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• associateship
  noun
• associator
  noun
• superassociate
  noun
• reassociate
  verb
• associable
  adjective
• associatory
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• associates
  plural

Participles

• associating
  present
• associated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• associate
  simple
• associates
  simple
• have associated
  perfect
• has associated
  perfect
• am associating
  progressive
• are associating
  progressive
• is associating
  progressive
• have been associating
  perfect progressive
• has been associating
  perfect progressive

Past

• associated
  simple
• had associated
  perfect
• was associating
  progressive
• were associating
  progressive
• had been associating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will associate
  simple
• will have associated
  perfect
• will be associating
  progressive
• will have been associating
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of associate

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin associātus “joined to, united with” (past participle of associāre ), equivalent to as- as- + soci- ( see social) + -ātus -ate ¹; compare Anglo-French associer (verb), associé (noun)

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Explanation

As a verb, associate can mean to make a connection between things or concepts. You might associate the smell of lemons with summer memories of selling lemonade. Or, with polishing your furniture with Lemon Pledge. As a noun, in employment, an associate is someone who is in a junior position. You might hear about associates at law firms, hoping to make partner one day. However, some companies also use associate to mean any employee, regardless of rank or seniority. The noun associate can also mean a friend or someone you keep company with. And, as a verb, associate can also mean to keep company with — like when you were associating with activists at the protest march.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

associate associates associated associating

We focused mostly on the issues Americans typically associate with Mexico: immigration, drug and trade wars.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026

Garfinkle-Crowell agrees a helpful technique for parents is to think about the words you would associate with the term they are using.

From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026

He is a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine and serves as associate chief of the Cardiology for Research program at the University of California, San Francisco Health.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 11, 2026

“People are easily tolerant of a man having an affair, especially a rich man,” said Chen Fang-Yu, an associate professor of political science at Soochow University in Taipei.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 11, 2026

‘For who doubts,’ asked Newton’s associate Roger Cotes, ‘if gravity be the cause of the descent of a stone in Europe, but that it is also the cause of the same descent in America?’

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

"Given his status, he really should be paying much closer attention to the people around him and who he associates with."

From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2026

Officers said they have since taken more than 340 witness statements - including from Brand's former employers, his ex-colleagues and associates.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

These associates had a golden ticket to Big Law—until Weil Gotshal collapsed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

A 2023 study in the UC Law Business Journal found that soon after Dewey’s downfall, 80% of the firm’s partners remained in Big Law while about half of Dewey’s associates remained.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

I tried to focus on the projects I found most meaningful, including my efforts to recruit a new and more diverse crop of summer associates.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

These characteristics could help engineers build computer components that operate efficiently without the interference problems associated with conventional magnetic materials.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 13, 2026

El Niño is typically, but not always, associated with a wetter-than-average winter in Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026

The findings, published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, suggest that protein sources may be associated with male hormone levels in different ways.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 13, 2026

Investigators have said developers have active permits for excavation and foundation work associated with a new building project.

From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026

These fees, costs, and fines are generally quite new—created by law within the past twenty years—and are associated with a wide range of offenses.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Some were snooty, some attracted particular athletic groups, and some just spanned a spectrum of kids who enjoyed associating with each other.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

Hoffman apologized in 2019 for associating with Epstein.

From Salon ● Sep. 21, 2026

As a historian who had come across the Church of England's links to slavery as a student, for many years Mallett had long been conflicted about associating with the institution.

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026

After their connections became public, many said they regretted associating with Epstein and some have stepped down from their roles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 8, 2026

Now I was terrified that he’d be driven away from associating with our family at all.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

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Related Words

• accomplice
• ally
• assistant
• buddy
• co-worker
• cohort
• collaborator
• companion
• comrade
• crony
• fellow
• friend
• partner

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