associates 1 of 2

Definition of associatesnext
present tense third-person singular of associate
1
2
as in identifies
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 mixes
to take part in social activities you should try to associate with people your own age

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

associates

2 of 2

noun

plural of associate

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 associates
Verb
Greene’s heart-to-heart media tour has been jarring liberals and anyone else who associates her with conspiratorial beliefs and outrageous comments. Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 21 Nov. 2025 Everyone associates that with us. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 8 Oct. 2025 Hunger can be another motivator, especially if your feline associates certain times or behaviors with food. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025 Create Low-Stakes Opportunities for Visibility Gen Z often associates visibility with exposure to criticism. Ruth Oh Reitmeier, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Especially given the fact that the latter only associates itself with organic style stars, not limited to Solange and Beyoncé. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 25 Aug. 2025 The brain also associates hyperarousal while playing video games with dopamine. Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
Bondi was slated to appear before the committee on April 14 after the committee issued a subpoena for her testimony over the Department of Justice’s handling of the Epstein files amid mounting frustration over how the department managed and released materials tied to Epstein and his associates. Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 2 Apr. 2026 Maxwell told Blanche during the two-day interview there was no client list, no blackmail scheme and, to her knowledge, no high-profile Epstein associates who committed illicit acts in connection with his crimes. Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026 Industry associates whispered to Vanity Fair in 1996 about Mottola adopting shady mobster tactics in his running of Sony, demanding loyalty and allegedly keeping a gun in his briefcase. Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026 The Epstein associates whose names are on campus buildings also are typically generous donors, as well as alumni. Julie Carr Smyth, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026 In 2022, Xi packed the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, the country’s most powerful governing body, with close associates and political allies. Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026 This is a man who shows up at a bank with two dubious associates — the glowering, hair-trigger Sal (Moss-Bachrach) and, until his stomach gives out, the wobbling hot mess Ray-Ray (Christopher Sears) — and a bunch of guns. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026 Court documents show the suspects allegedly lured a private driver, who was hired by Arnold, and his two associates to an apartment in Tampa. Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026 His case grew out of a broader Miami indictment filed in 2018 that charged eight associates with looting PDVSA, including senior executives and lawyers. Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for associates
Verb
  • But as her eyes sweep down the front bricks and over the double-length drapes covering what is likely their parlor room, a chill travels through her.
    Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The Amex Business Platinum has a stronger suite of luxury travel perks and is better suited for anyone who travels frequently and can fully take advantage of its best perks.
    Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Nationwide, newborn screening already identifies rare diseases in approximately 14,000 infants each year.
    Nicole Kruegel, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The taxonomy identifies 10 key cognitive faculties—including perception, reasoning, memory, learning, attention, and social cognition—that the researchers argue are essential for general intelligence.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Today’s Prius combines the same legendary efficiency with real performance, genuinely appealing design and everyday practicality.
    Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
  • This approach combines the superior surface properties of tungsten with the structural and economic advantages of other materials.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Combine that with annual appearances from the country’s best music ensembles and this fest is a sure winner no matter who is on stage — at least when the weather cooperates.
    Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2026
  • If the weather cooperates next winter, the bulbs can perform well again.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The scent of orange blossoms mixes with heady incense.
    Alexis Marshall, NPR, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The couple adopted two black lab mixes from Humane Animal Partners in Delaware.
    Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • After more than 11 years with the Golden Police Department, Chief Joe Harvey was honored by colleagues, friends and family for his service and compassion.
    Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Vulnerable, voiceless elders in Miami-Dade who are removed from their homes for their own good will likely wind up in the hands of an Adult Protective Services supervisor promoted to a position of unparalleled power despite the objections of family members and whistleblowing colleagues.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Tekton bonds the body together into a seamless, self-supporting monocoque optimized for thermal and leakproof integrity.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Guess what bonds that group together?
    Jayson Stark, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Jeffery’s lab studies the ageing retina, in which functional decline correlates with mitochondrial deterioration.
    Lynne Peeples, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Which correlates to a decline in the number of students concentrating and majoring in Black Studies.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 20 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Associates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/associates. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on associates

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster