associate 1 of 3

1
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
4
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

associate

3 of 3

adjective

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
By Harvard’s standards, the school’s endowment was not its primary boasting point—public-health alumni don’t tend to become billionaires —and in times of wider financial turmoil, HSPH remained well insulated, Amanda Spickard, the associate dean for research strategy and external affairs, told me. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025 Carolyn Vega, the associate director of policy analysis at Share Our Strength, an anti-poverty advocacy group, said that pausing sending the information now doesn’t mean that cards can’t be loaded next month, with or without resumption of government operations. Geoff Mulvihill, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
And evidence that the planets came to be associated with the gods lies in their very names, which represent ancient deities from Roman and Greek. Joe Rao, Space.com, 18 Oct. 2025 Within Kansas politics, the scandal has raised serious questions about the connections between top officials and the staffers associated with the hateful messages. Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Prior to his time at Charlotte, Hill spent nearly 25 years on staff with the Florida Gators, serving as the Gators’ executive associate athletics director for external affairs for his final six years in Gainesville. Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 17 Oct. 2025 Spencer and an associate are accused of improperly acquiring a property for $8,000 and attempting to sell it for $245,000. Daniel Bice, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for associate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for associate
Verb
  • The only surefire way to avoid this modern-day traveler's burnout is by taking the path less traveled.
    Travel + Leisure, Travel + Leisure, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Law previously shared updates of Kinley as a baby, including the two of them traveling, playing together and dressing up.
    Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Using Hubble's data, astronomers have identified more than 80 possible star clusters inside this ring, many less than 100 million years old, though the spiral galaxy itself has likely persisted for over a billion years.
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The post did not identify the boy or the friend who was with him.
    Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Current Increment 1 systems from Leonardo DRS and General Dynamics Land Systems already combine Stinger missiles and 30mm cannons on Stryker vehicles.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Today, the Salon des Nouveaux Ensembliers aims to be a contemporary equivalent, bringing together designers and more than 150 artisans to combine tradition and sustainable innovation.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The driver, a person in their 90s, stopped at the scene and cooperated with the investigation, according to police.
    Jason Green, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Every school in the district cooperated.
    John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The miso butterscotch brownie mixes caramel cream, miso and gluten-free dark chocolate brownies.
    Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Reports revealed that there was also a sigh of relief from those who had feared federal officials might be planning a last-minute retreat from the technique known as vitrification, in which waste is mixed with molten silicate and other materials to create inert glass logs.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In a time where women are adopting AI tools at a 25% lower rate than men, Pinterest’s Chief People Officer Doniel Sutton advises her female colleagues to lean in.
    Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
  • In a 2021 update that incorporated additional factors into the simulations, DeConto and colleagues revised that estimate sharply downward, projecting less than 40 centimeters of sea-level rise by the century’s end under high-emission scenarios.
    Evan Howell, Quanta Magazine, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Following the presentations, local industry partners and the churches were encouraged to network and connect for the future phases of each project.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
  • L3Harris revealed that the communications suite will provide interoperability with the United States, NATO and coalition partners, creating a networked battlespace with fifth-generation aircraft and beyond.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The core principle of auxiliary transplantation, Sun says, is to avoid removing all of the patient’s own liver.
    Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 10 Oct. 2025
  • At home to Burnley a few days later, Frank’s side were far more considered in their possession, using goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario as an auxiliary centre-back at times when building up, as Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Sarr formed a more progressive midfield three.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Associate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/associate. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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