associate 1 of 3

verb

ə-ˈsō-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce associate (audio)
Definition of associatenext
1
as in to travel
to come or be together as friends a socially ambitious couple who joined the country club in order to associate with the right sort of people

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to identify
to think of (something) in combination she still associates Memorial Day with her long-ago fiancé, who died in Vietnam

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to combine
to come together to form a single unit the elements hydrogen and oxygen associate to form molecules of water

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to cooperate
to form or enter into an association that furthers the interests of its members nations deciding to associate in order to remove trade barriers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to mix
to take part in social activities you should try to associate with people your own age

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

associate

2 of 3

noun

ə-ˈsō-shē-ət How to pronounce associate (audio)
1
as in colleague
a person frequently seen in the company of another a number of his associates were members of organized crime, so he was a person of interest to the FBI

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in partner
a fellow worker my associates at the office

Synonyms & Similar Words

associate

3 of 3

adjective

as in auxiliary

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb associate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of associate are combine, connect, join, link, relate, and unite. While all these words mean "to bring or come together into some manner of union," associate stresses the mere fact of frequent occurrence or existence together in space or in logical relation.

opera is popularly associated with high society

When would combine be a good substitute for associate?

The words combine and associate can be used in similar contexts, but combine implies some merging or mingling with corresponding loss of identity of each unit.

combined jazz and rock to create a new music

When is connect a more appropriate choice than associate?

While the synonyms connect and associate are close in meaning, connect suggests a loose or external attachment with little or no loss of identity.

a mutual defense treaty connected the two nations

Where would join be a reasonable alternative to associate?

In some situations, the words join and associate are roughly equivalent. However, join implies a bringing into contact or conjunction of any degree of closeness.

joined forces in an effort to win

When might link be a better fit than associate?

Although the words link and associate have much in common, link may imply strong connection or inseparability of elements still retaining identity.

a name forever linked with liberty

When can relate be used instead of associate?

The meanings of relate and associate largely overlap; however, relate suggests the existence of a real or presumed logical connection.

related what he observed to what he already knew

In what contexts can unite take the place of associate?

While in some cases nearly identical to associate, unite implies somewhat greater loss of separate identity.

the colonies united to form a republic

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of associate
Verb
Because my instinct was to run away and not be associated with this thing. — H. Alan Scott, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025 Scroll down for a complete list of articles associated with this month’s challenge. — Matthew Stock, JSTOR Daily, 10 Mar. 2025
Noun
Senior female associates now earn more in total cash compensation than their male counterparts, and carried interest is nearly balanced at junior levels. — Geri Stengel, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025 By then, three other suspects in that crew had already been arrested: Clementa Johnson, his cousin, Vernon Green, and another associate, Diori Barnard. — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Harding Bush, the associate director for Global Rescue, says at a minimum people going on spring break should consider a policy with a medical evacuation and supplemental medevac protection. — Christopher Elliott, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025 Ned Murray, associate director of the Metropolitan Center at Florida International University, first assessed Broward’s affordable housing crisis in 2018. — Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for associate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for associate
  1. travel
  2. identify
  3. combine
  4. cooperate
  5. mix
  6. colleague
  7. partner
  8. auxiliary
Verb
  • Until an hour or so prior, Messi’s presence on the traveling roster was uncertain, with the Argentine not having played in the club’s previous three matches.
    — Pablo Maurer, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Waze, Google Maps, Apple’s navigation app—without them, many drivers would be lost when travelling unfamiliar routes.
    — Lisya Bahar Manoah, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of travel
Verb
  • The story was a great example of how artificial intelligence can help reporters analyze large volumes of data and try to identify patterns.
    — Charles Ornstein, ProPublica, 13 Mar. 2025
  • On Thursday, Khalil and seven students identified by pseudonyms filed a lawsuit seeking to block a congressional committee from obtaining Columbia and Barnard College disciplinary records for students involved in campus protests.
    — Cedar Attanasio, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of identify
Verb
  • Geopolitical instability and unrest in Eastern Europe, combined with the worsening situation in the South China Sea, are set to disrupt the global supply chain.
    — Paresh Sagar, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Liam McNeeley started the game strong and finished with 11 points as Solo Ball and Diarra added 10 a piece, the backcourt duo combining for 10 rebounds and eight assists.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of combine
Verb
  • Police said Patterson remained at the scene and cooperated with responding officers.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Thomson told Newsweek the move send a message to Governor Gavin Newsom that Oroville strongly opposes laws that limit local law enforcement from cooperating with federal agencies.
    — Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of cooperate
Verb
  • Moisturizing Tanning Oil Frankel mixed L’Oréal’s Lumi Glotion with this tanning oil from Sun Bum, which offers SPF 15 sun protection.
    — Maggie Horton, People.com, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Beard mixed in zone and press in hopes of affecting Florida’s attack.
    — Mark Long, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of mix
Noun
  • My colleagues in medicine and public health are haunted by the trauma yet uplifted by our resilience having survived an existential test.
    — Christian Ramers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Shultz and her colleagues were in the process of developing these methods well before January’s fires broke out.
    — Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of colleague
Noun
  • Their Sri Lankan joint-venture partner in CEYLONS is Mewan Gunawardena, a banking professional with over 20 years in the financial sector.
    — Kyle Roderick, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The United States also hopes to establish long-term human stays on the moon by 2030 as part of the Artemis program spearheaded by NASA and joined by multiple international partners.
    — Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of partner
Adjective
  • From automating repetitive tactics to enhancing predictive analytics, AI is not just an auxiliary tool.
    — Vamsi Gosu, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The plan includes the construction of a 10,000-square-foot auxiliary hanger plus two additional maintenance hangers.
    — Laura Kinsler, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of auxiliary

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Cite this Entry

“Associate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/associate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

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