association

noun

as·so·ci·a·tion | \ ə-ˌsō-sē-ˈā-shən

, -shē-\

Definition of association

1a : the act of associating

b : the state of being associated : combination, relationship had a long association with the firm

2 : an organization of persons having a common interest : society an alumni association

3 : something linked in memory or imagination with a thing or person His former school has only negative associations for him.

4 : the process of forming mental connections or bonds between sensations, ideas, or memories

5 : the aggregation of chemical species (see species entry 1 sense 1e) to form (as with hydrogen bonds) loosely bound complexes (see complex entry 1 sense 3)

6 : a major unit in ecological community organization characterized by essential uniformity and usually by two or more dominant species

Other Words from association Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about association

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Examples of association in a Sentence

an association of local business leaders They denied having any association with terrorists. They have a long association with the school and have donated millions of dollars to it.

Recent Examples on the Web

Red carpet As Amazon’s interest in entertainment grew, Mr. Bezos’ association with celebrity did, too. — Laura Stevens, WSJ, "Jeff Bezos’ Journey From Private Family Man to Tabloid Sensation," 10 Feb. 2019 Screen time and potatoes might have some association with ill health, Lavine says, but the explanations for each link differ. — Jessica Wapner, SELF, "How Worried Do You Really Need to Be About Your Screen Time?," 7 Feb. 2019 Smith had the longest coaching association with Pete Carroll of anyone on the Seattle staff, the two having first worked together in 1982 at North Carolina State where Carroll was the defensive coordinator and Smith the offensive coordinator. — Bob Condotta, The Seattle Times, "Seahawks assistant Carl Smith heading to new position with Houston Texans," 5 Feb. 2019 Given our internet-age obsession with collaborations, this would be a huge problem for a lot of big-box retailers that increasingly rely on the mildest associations with anything cool. — Kaitlyn Tiffany, Vox, "Can Vans really sue Target for a cheap look-alike of its most famous skater shoe?," 26 Dec. 2018 For those unfamiliar, the Commonwealth is an association of 53 countries, many of which are former British territories. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "How a New Patronage Hints at Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Future Roles Within the Commonwealth," 11 Jan. 2019 But research shows grip strength is a good predictor of overall strength, which in turn serves as a good predictor for overall health, with one recent study even finding an association between grip strength and lower mortality. — SELF, "Why You Should Add Loaded-Carry Exercises to Your Strength Routine," 21 Oct. 2018 The Braniff ex-stews keep in touch through an active alumni association. — Michael Magers, Condé Nast Traveler, "Inside the Sisterhood of Braniff Flight Attendants," 31 Aug. 2018 The Basque Country had an association with cycling through the Euskadi team from 2005 to 2014. — Ciaran Fahey, Fox News, "TASTE OF THE TOUR: Pan-seared squid in the Basque Country," 27 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'association.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.