Meaning & use
associate
To connect one thing or idea with another in the mind, or to spend time regularly with a particular person or group.
See it in a sentence
Many people associate the smell of cinnamon with the winter holidays.
He was warned not to associate with people involved in the ongoing investigation.
A note on using this word
As a verb, associate is stressed on the final syllable; as a noun meaning a colleague or partner, it is stressed on the first syllable, with a slightly different pronunciation.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. noun
A colleague or partner in business, or a junior member of a professional firm.
She was promoted from paralegal to associate at the law firm after three years.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “associate”, then compare your use with the examples above.