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
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
as in auxiliary
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of associate
Anya Von Bremzen, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026
Call out 'Mark Twain' There is perhaps no one person more closely associated with the Mississippi River than Mark Twain, the pen name of Samuel Clemens.
—Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 31 May 2026
Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Her first job was working at Target in the 1990s, making $8 an hour as a floor associate.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 29 May 2026
Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026
Guzman served in several administrative roles at OU, including associate director of the Law Center, associate dean of academics and associate dean for research and scholarship, and was dean from 2019 to 2024.
—Ryan Anderson, Arkansas Online, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for associate
Verb
That changed on a recent trip to Avantgarde Refined Caves of Cappadocia, which opened in late 2024, promising a new level of sophistication in a region where hospitality was previously associated mainly with cave kitsch.
—Anya Von Bremzen, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026
Call out 'Mark Twain' There is perhaps no one person more closely associated with the Mississippi River than Mark Twain, the pen name of Samuel Clemens.
—Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 31 May 2026
Noun
Bondi has repeatedly faced scrutiny over allegations that the DOJ has, over several presidential administrations, shielded Epstein associates from accountability.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Her first job was working at Target in the 1990s, making $8 an hour as a floor associate.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 29 May 2026
Adjective
Her father was an associate sports editor at The Kansas City Star, and her grandmother was part of the first graduating class of woman journalists at the University of Missouri.
—Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026
Guzman served in several administrative roles at OU, including associate director of the Law Center, associate dean of academics and associate dean for research and scholarship, and was dean from 2019 to 2024.
—Ryan Anderson, Arkansas Online, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for associate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for associate
Verb
-
And with roots travel booming, the library’s visitor numbers increased by more than a third between 2022 and 2025.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
Your optimism travels farther when your inner base feels steady enough to support it.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Such plants are predominantly located in communities of color, with an average of 77% of the residents within a mile identifying as such, according to census data.—
Jason Henry,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
-
The suspect was identified as Olumuyiwa Akindahunsi, a 29-year-old homeless man not affiliated with the university, according to the UCLA Police Department.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Verb
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First class Etihad Apartments; Singapore Suites; combing first class on Airbus A380s on all the major Gulf airlines in a single trip; combining six different airline first class products in a single round trip.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Until Lopez’s blast, Texas A&M right-hander Clayton Freshcorn had slowed down a USC offense that had scored 48 runs combined while winning three consecutive games out of the losers’ bracket, including 14 on Sunday night against Texas A&M (41-16), to force the winner-take-all final.—
Jose de Jesus Ortiz,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
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But this is sometimes a problem, as my wireless earbuds and headphones don't always cooperate with whatever outdated seatback entertainment systems exist on that flight.—
Aly Walansky,
Travel + Leisure,
29 May 2026
-
Greg Biffle is accused in the lawsuit of being negligent in cooperating with Dutton, despite knowing the problems Dutton was experiencing before and during the flight, the lawsuit said.—
Jeff A. Chamer
May 29,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Portraits of the Hobhouse family, who lived here for more than two centuries, hang alongside tapestry wall trophies in the drawing room, while the teal bar mixes original cornicing with vibrant bamboo chairs.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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From Stonewall’s 1969 uprising to today’s golf tournaments, human rights summits and bar crawls, Pride events in Los Angeles, New York and global cities mix festival energy with defiance.—
Geoff Mulvihill,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
Noun
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In addition to his onscreen role, the jazz musician played guitar in the show's in-studio ensemble, led by musical director and colleague Johnny Costa.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
-
Unbeknownst to Anthony, the entire experience is staged, every colleague around him is performing a role, and each moment – whether in conference rooms or during downtime – has been meticulously orchestrated.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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The discus competition finished before any of the track events started and was held on an auxiliary field, but the Aliso Niguel senior got a standing ovation on the victory stand half an hour after her third throw thrust her into the record books.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
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As the People’s Liberation Army Navy expands its presence across the Indo-Pacific and beyond, analysts say Beijing increasingly depends on large auxiliary vessels to sustain fleets at sea.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Akindahunsi is not believed to be connected to prior incidents at or around the UCLA campus, Richard Mejia, director of emergency communications, said in a statement.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
The company reviewed its safety protocols this week in response to the situation at GKN, which is not connected to Arkema.—
Jason Henry,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Associate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/associate. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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