as·so·ci·ate
ə-ˈsō-shē-ˌāt 
-sē-
associated; associating
1
: to join as a partner, friend, or companion
They were closely associated with each other during the war.
2
: to join or connect together : combine
particles of gold associated with heavy minerals
3
: to bring together or into relationship in any of various intangible ways (as in memory or imagination)
She will always associate that place with her youth.
4
obsolete
: to keep company with : attend
1
: to come or be together as partners, friends, or companions
was accused of associating with known criminals
2
: to combine or join with other parts : unite
Protons, neutrons, and electrons associate together to form atoms.
as·so·ciate
ə-ˈsō-shē-ət
-sē-,
-ˌāt,
-shət
1
: one associated with another: such as
2
3
often capitalized
: a degree conferred especially by a junior college
associate in arts
as·so·ciate
ə-ˈsō-shē-ət
-sē-,
-ˌāt,
-shət
1
: closely connected (as in function or office) with another : sharing in responsibility or authority
associate judges
2
: having secondary or subordinate status
associate membership in a society
3
: closely related especially in the mind
faith and its associate virtues
Synonyms
Examples of associate in a Sentence
Verb
I no longer wish to be associated with people like him.
She associates herself with some pretty strange people.
Noun
Her associates respected her for her hard work.
She started as an associate at the law firm.
Adjective
He's an associate member of the club but he hopes to become a full member soon.
She was promoted from assistant editor to associate editor and may soon be promoted to senior editor.
Recent Examples on the Web
Armani Syed, TIME, 22 Apr. 2024
The heat dome, in turn, was associated with up to a third of the area burned in North America that year, according to the study, published in Communications Earth & Environment.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Other healthy lifestyle habits include maintaining physical activity and not smoking to reduce health risks associated with high cholesterol.
—Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 21 Apr. 2024
The central city of Isfahan is home to sites associated with Iran's nuclear program.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 19 Apr. 2024
Plus, cooler temperatures associated with rain require your body to work harder to maintain its core temperature, which can lead to higher energy and calorie expenditure to keep you warm, added Keen.
—Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 19 Apr. 2024
Protect your lungs:Here's how to help lower ozone levels going into the hotter weather
To avoid health risks associated with ozone:
Reduce exposure by playing and exercising outdoors before noon.
—Staff Reports, The Arizona Republic, 19 Apr. 2024
This isn’t the first example of high-dose injectable contraceptive use being associated with meningioma risk.
—Lily Carey, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
Most of the previous job losses last year were at locations associated with COVID-19 test manufacturing and resulted in Thermo Fisher shuttering three facilities.
—Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024
Byallie Garfinkle, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2024
There, Blanche, 49, built a reputation as a dogged advocate for his clients – and for his defense of some Trump associates.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024
Representatives for Wilson and Dunham did not return PEOPLE’s requests for comment at the time, and Cleta Ellington, who is a longtime associate of Reiner’s and an assistant director on the show, recalled the conversation to be different than what was described in the THR report.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
Investment-banking analysts and associates in Hong Kong made 30-100% more than in Singapore, mainland China and Japan, while directors and managing directors made 40-70% more, according to a Hays Asia survey in late 2023.
—Denise Wee, Fortune Asia, 22 Apr. 2024
Robinson was supposed to graduate with her associate’s degree in criminal justice next month.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 20 Apr. 2024
As Ann explains, these artifacts were used by Rowe, his associates and his students to construct a chronology of the Peruvian highlands and coast.
—Juan B. García, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
In: Netflix Television Live Streaming Rishikesh Rajagopalan Rishi Rajagopalan is a social media associate producer and content writer for CBS News.
—Rishikesh Rajagopalan, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2024
According to the investigation, Porter also bet on at least 13 NBA games using an associate’s account after signing with the Raptors.
—Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 17 Apr. 2024
Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Didi Martinez Didi Martinez is an associate producer with the NBC News Investigative Unit.
—Julia Ainsley, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Annie Blay, associate beauty editor Annie Blay Most Popular
Nestled in the corner of a quaint brownstone is Brooklyn Face & Eye.
—Annie Blay, Allure, 11 Apr. 2024
Legislation has yet to be proposed but under MPA’s vision, a process overseen by a federal judge will be created in which a copyright holder can move for an order to block a certain site, says MPA senior vice president and associate general counsel Ben Sheffner.
—Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
Freddy immediately picked the baby up, according to associate animal curator Laura Klutts.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024
And other conspicuously young conductors are starting to find the spotlight, such as Franco-British conductor Stephanie Childress, who at 23 has nabbed principal guest conductor posts with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, as well as an associate conductor post with the Sun Valley Music Festival.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
And why not bundle course materials when colleges are throwing in everything but the kitchen sink: libraries, sports, student activities, research, healthcare, and all kinds of advising and support from countless associate deans.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
This year still had the third-largest applicant pool in history, Logan Powell, associate provost for enrollment and dean of undergraduate admission, said in a release.
—Matt Egan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Verb
Critics say Modi’s comments build on a divisive campaign of Hindu nationalism has been associated with the ruling BJP, which is expected to claim a third consecutive term.
—Armani Syed, TIME, 22 Apr. 2024
The heat dome, in turn, was associated with up to a third of the area burned in North America that year, according to the study, published in Communications Earth & Environment.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Other healthy lifestyle habits include maintaining physical activity and not smoking to reduce health risks associated with high cholesterol.
—Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 21 Apr. 2024
The central city of Isfahan is home to sites associated with Iran's nuclear program.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 19 Apr. 2024
Plus, cooler temperatures associated with rain require your body to work harder to maintain its core temperature, which can lead to higher energy and calorie expenditure to keep you warm, added Keen.
—Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 19 Apr. 2024
Protect your lungs:Here's how to help lower ozone levels going into the hotter weather
To avoid health risks associated with ozone:
Reduce exposure by playing and exercising outdoors before noon.
—Staff Reports, The Arizona Republic, 19 Apr. 2024
This isn’t the first example of high-dose injectable contraceptive use being associated with meningioma risk.
—Lily Carey, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
Most of the previous job losses last year were at locations associated with COVID-19 test manufacturing and resulted in Thermo Fisher shuttering three facilities.
—Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024
Noun
How does someone in their mid-twenties, a time when most people in that age bracket would still be associates, raise a fund of her own?
—Byallie Garfinkle, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2024
There, Blanche, 49, built a reputation as a dogged advocate for his clients – and for his defense of some Trump associates.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024
Representatives for Wilson and Dunham did not return PEOPLE’s requests for comment at the time, and Cleta Ellington, who is a longtime associate of Reiner’s and an assistant director on the show, recalled the conversation to be different than what was described in the THR report.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
Investment-banking analysts and associates in Hong Kong made 30-100% more than in Singapore, mainland China and Japan, while directors and managing directors made 40-70% more, according to a Hays Asia survey in late 2023.
—Denise Wee, Fortune Asia, 22 Apr. 2024
Robinson was supposed to graduate with her associate’s degree in criminal justice next month.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 20 Apr. 2024
As Ann explains, these artifacts were used by Rowe, his associates and his students to construct a chronology of the Peruvian highlands and coast.
—Juan B. García, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
In: Netflix Television Live Streaming Rishikesh Rajagopalan Rishi Rajagopalan is a social media associate producer and content writer for CBS News.
—Rishikesh Rajagopalan, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2024
According to the investigation, Porter also bet on at least 13 NBA games using an associate’s account after signing with the Raptors.
—Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 17 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Abrams left a law firm job to become an associate producer at Court TV and was promoted to reporter just before the Simpson case heated up.
—Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Didi Martinez Didi Martinez is an associate producer with the NBC News Investigative Unit.
—Julia Ainsley, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Annie Blay, associate beauty editor Annie Blay Most Popular
Nestled in the corner of a quaint brownstone is Brooklyn Face & Eye.
—Annie Blay, Allure, 11 Apr. 2024
Legislation has yet to be proposed but under MPA’s vision, a process overseen by a federal judge will be created in which a copyright holder can move for an order to block a certain site, says MPA senior vice president and associate general counsel Ben Sheffner.
—Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
Freddy immediately picked the baby up, according to associate animal curator Laura Klutts.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024
And other conspicuously young conductors are starting to find the spotlight, such as Franco-British conductor Stephanie Childress, who at 23 has nabbed principal guest conductor posts with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, as well as an associate conductor post with the Sun Valley Music Festival.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
And why not bundle course materials when colleges are throwing in everything but the kitchen sink: libraries, sports, student activities, research, healthcare, and all kinds of advising and support from countless associate deans.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
This year still had the third-largest applicant pool in history, Logan Powell, associate provost for enrollment and dean of undergraduate admission, said in a release.
—Matt Egan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'associate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near associate
Cite this Entry
“Associate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/associate. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
associate
1 of 2 verb
as·so·ci·ate
ə-ˈsō-shē-ˌāt
-sē-ˌāt
associated; associating
1
: to join or come together as partners, friends, or companions
2
: to connect in thought
associate hot chocolate with winter
3
: to combine or join with other parts : unite
associate
2 of 2 noun
as·so·ci·ate
ə-ˈsō-shē-ət,
-sē-ət,
-shət,
-shē-ˌāt,
-sē-ˌāt
1
: a fellow worker : colleague
3
often capitalized
: a degree given especially by a junior college
associate in arts
associate
adjective
Etymology
Verb
Middle English associat "connected, related," derived from Latin associare "to unite," from ad- "to" and sociare "to join," from socius "companion" — related to sociable
Medical Definition
associate
1 of 3 verb
as·so·ci·ate
ə-ˈsō-s(h)ē-ˌāt
associated; associating
1
: to join or connect (things) together
2
: to bring together in a relationship
infectious disease associated with a rise in body temperature
1
: to combine or join with other parts
fibrils of the sensory neurons associate with motor neurons—S. J. Jacob & C. A. Francone
S. J. Jacob & C. A. Francone2
: to engage in free association
the patient associated freely about his childhood
associate
2 of 3 adjective
as·so·ciate
ə-ˈsō-s(h)ē-ət, -shət, -s(h)ē-ˌāt
: ranking immediately below the senior or chief position
associate clinical professor of medicine
associate medical examiner
associate
3 of 3 noun
as·so·ciate
like₂
1
: a research worker or teacher affiliated with a professional organization or institution and ranking below a professor or full member
a research associate in pathology
2
often capitalized
: a degree conferred especially by a junior college
an Associate in Technical Arts degree in nursing—Skagit Valley College Catalog
Skagit Valley College CatalogLegal Definition
associate
noun
as·so·ciate
ə-ˈsō-shē-ət, -sē-ət, -shət
: a lawyer employed by a law firm compare partner
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