associate

UK: adjective: /əˈsəʊsiət/, verb: /əˈsəʊsieɪt/

US: /v. əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪt, -si-; n., adj., -ɪt, -ˌeɪt/

US: (v. ə sō′shē āt′, -sē-; n., adj., ə sō′shē it, -āt′, -sē-)

Inflections of 'associate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

associates

v 3rd person singular

associating

v pres p

associated

v past

associated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

as•so•ci•ate /v. əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪt, -si-; n., adj., -ɪt, -ˌeɪt/   v., -at•ed, -at•ing, n., adj. 
v. 

1. to connect or bring together in the mind:
   [~ + object + with + object] I associate rainy days with spring.
2. to connect or commit (oneself ) as a colleague with another or with a group:
   [~ + oneself + with + object] He refused to associate himself with cheats.
3. to unite;
   combine: [~ + object]
   Coal was associated with shale.
   [no object]
   Coal and shale that associate in layers.
4. to keep company as a friend, companion, or ally:
   [~ + with + object] wouldn't allow her to associate with anyone who smoked or drank.
5. to join together as partners or colleagues:
   [no object] The two groups associated to form a political party.

n. [countable]

6. a person who shares actively in an enterprise;
   co-worker.

adj. [before a noun]

7. connected or related, esp. as a colleague:
   an associate judge on the court.
8. having subordinate status:
   an associate member of the staff.
   See -soc-.

Related Words

associate is a noun, a verb, and an adjective, association is a noun:
She is an associate of mine. She associates with a nice group of people. She is an associate professor. We joined a neighborhood association to help fight crime.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

as•so•ci•ate  (v. ə sō′shē āt′, -sē-;n., adj., ə sō′shē it, -āt′, -sē-), v., -at•ed, -at•ing, n., adj. 
v.t. 

1. to connect or bring into relation, as thought, feeling, memory, etc.:
   Many people associate dark clouds with depression and gloom.
2. to join as a companion, partner, or ally:
   to associate oneself with a cause.
3. to unite;
   combine:
   coal associated with shale.

v.i. 

4. to enter into union;
   unite.
5. to keep company, as a friend, companion, or ally:
   He was accused of associating with known criminals.
6. to join together as partners or colleagues.

n. 

7. a person who shares actively in anything as a business, enterprise, or undertaking;
   partner;
   colleague;
   fellow worker:
   He consulted with his associates before proceeding further.
8. a companion or comrade:
   my most intimate associates.
9. a confederate;
   an accomplice or ally:
   criminal associates.
10. anything usually accompanying or associated with another;
    an accompaniment or concomitant.
11. a person who is admitted to a subordinate degree of membership in an association or institution:
    an associate of the Royal Academy.

adj. 

12. connected, joined, or related, esp. as a companion or colleague;
    having equal or nearly equal responsibility:
    an associate partner.
13. having subordinate status;
    without full rights and privileges:
    an associate member.
14. allied;
    concomitant.

• Latin associātus joined to, united with (past participle of associāre), equivalent. to as- as- + soci- (see social) + -ātus -ate¹; compare Anglo-French associer (verb, verbal), associé (noun, nominal)
• late Middle English 1400–50

as•so′ci•ate•ship′, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. link.
• 7, 8. See acquaintance. 

Antonyms

• 1. dissociate.
• 7. –9. adversary.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

associate verb / əˈsəʊʃɪˌeɪt -sɪ-/(usually followed by with)

1. (transitive) to link or connect in the mind or imagination
2. (intransitive) to keep company; mix socially: to associate with writers
3. (intransitive) to form or join an association, group, etc
4. (tr; usually passive) to consider in conjunction; connect: rainfall is associated with humidity
5. (transitive) to bring (a person, esp oneself) into friendship, partnership, etc
6. (tr; often passive) to express agreement or allow oneself to be connected (with): Bertrand Russell was associated with the peace movement

noun / əˈsəʊʃɪɪt -ˌeɪt -sɪ-/

1. a person joined with another or others in an enterprise, business, etc; partner; colleague
2. a companion or friend
3. something that usually accompanies another thing; concomitant
4. a person having a subordinate position in or admitted to only partial membership of an institution, association, etc

adjective / əˈsəʊʃɪɪt -ˌeɪt -sɪ-/(prenominal)

1. joined with another or others in an enterprise, business, etc; having equal or nearly equal status: an associate director
2. having partial rights and privileges or subordinate status: an associate member
3. accompanying; concomitant

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin associāre to ally with, from sociāre to join, from socius an ally

asˈsociable adjective

asˈsociˌator noun

asˈsociateˌship noun