free association

American  

noun

Psychoanalysis.

1. the uncensored expression of the ideas, impressions, etc., passing through the mind of the analysand, a technique used to facilitate access to the unconscious.

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free association British  

noun

1. psychoanal a method of exploring a person's unconscious by eliciting words and thoughts that are associated with key words provided by a psychoanalyst

2. a spontaneous mental process whereby ideas, words, or images suggest other ideas, etc, in a nonlogical chain reaction

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Etymology

Origin of free association

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

The compacts of free association with the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau were negotiated to resolve a specific historical reality.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 25, 2026

The self-governing Cook Islands remain in "free association" with former colonial ruler New Zealand, which is still involved in areas such as defence and foreign affairs.

From Barron's • Dec. 2, 2025

Kenneth Gofigan Kuper, a director at the Guam-based Pacific Center for Island Security think tank, supports independence or free association.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

UN rights chief Volker Turk "renews his call on security forces to desist from unnecessary force and to uphold the rights to free association and peaceful assembly," it said.

From Barron's • Oct. 10, 2025

His theory was that the problems of many troubled patients rested in forgotten psychic traumas, and through free association and the interpretation of dreams the key to the problems could be unlocked.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady