free association
noun
1
a
: the expression (as by speaking or writing) of the content of consciousness without censorship as an aid in gaining access to unconscious processes especially in psychoanalysis
b
: the reporting of the first thought that comes to mind in response to a given stimulus (such as a word)
2
: an idea or image elicited by free association
3
: a method using free association
Examples of free association in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In a 2024 plebiscite, 29 percent of Puerto Rican voters supported outright independence, with 12 percent opting for independence with free association, by which Puerto Rico would potentially retain some ties with the United States on the basis of bilateral treaties.
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Scott Spires Britannica Editors June 3, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
Over sunny instrumentation, Rhys flits back and forth between English and Welsh in what feels like a nonsensical miasma of free association.
—David Harris, SPIN, 4 May 2026
Any such rule would be a plain violation of the free association rights that politicians must have with anybody who might support them.
—Lawrence Lessig, Time, 30 Apr. 2026
Primarily through his method of free association, with the patient supine on a couch and the doctor hidden from view, the doctor and patient would bring these unconscious conflicts to the surface and thereby break their power.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for free association
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Scott Spires Britannica Editors June 3, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
Over sunny instrumentation, Rhys flits back and forth between English and Welsh in what feels like a nonsensical miasma of free association.
—David Harris, SPIN, 4 May 2026
Any such rule would be a plain violation of the free association rights that politicians must have with anybody who might support them.
—Lawrence Lessig, Time, 30 Apr. 2026
Primarily through his method of free association, with the patient supine on a couch and the doctor hidden from view, the doctor and patient would bring these unconscious conflicts to the surface and thereby break their power.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for free association
Cite this Entry
“Free association.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free%20association. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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