associate

American  

[uh-soh-shee-eyt, -see-, uh-soh-shee-it, -eyt, -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

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)

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

Main had accepted the offer by an associate to fly a small group of Remax people to his lake cabin, a short distance away.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Athletes often get introduced to a scheme by a teammate, agent, friend, family member or business associate.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

What could EU associate member status mean for Canada?

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Brian Cunniff, an associate professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the university's Larner College of Medicine, serves as the company's chief science officer.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026

“What does it symbolize, what could it represent, or what do you associate it with? Could it be untangled or reorganized in some way to create another meaning or point in a direction?”

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Kremlev repeatedly told associates he was worried about being targeted by a U.S. government probe, according to a person close to IBA leadership.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

At the moment, the team is made up of Lina Fatanat and Chris Maghsodi, brand associates who, helmed by Lê, serve as de facto head-to-toe Kiko ambassadors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

This was something all Americans should defend, "including the associates of Elon Musk, who has proclaimed himself to be a 'free speech absolutist,'" the statement added.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

Sazan appealed to the infamously paranoid Hoxha as a vantage point from which he and his associates could look out for any invaders who might come sailing over the Mediterranean to interrupt his rule.

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026

In orientation, we learned that the store’s success depends entirely on us, the associates; in fact, our bright blue vests bear the statement “At Wal-Mart, our people make the difference.”

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Others once more commonly associated with southern England have also spread further north.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

It has traded above the 200-DMA intraday, given all the recent volatility associated with rising oil prices and interest rates, but has not closed above it.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

Perhaps if Short weren’t associated with a detective noir masterpiece, she would never have become a useful metaphor for the corruption and rot associated with Hollywood and Los Angeles, or an eternal enigma.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

Warfarin was also associated with lower risks of death, stroke, and blood clots.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026

Maggie was the most geographically challenged person she knew, but she associated the general area with the Osage and Delaware.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Staley has previously said he didn’t know about Epstein’s crimes and regretted associating with him.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 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

How have you really held on to this DIY ethos while now associating yourself with a bigger label?

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2026

“As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 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

Related Words

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