ASSOCIATES Synonyms: 201 Similar and Opposite Words

associates 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of associate

as in travels

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

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Relevance

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as in identifies

to think of (something) in combination she still associates Memorial Day with her long-ago fiancé, who died in Vietnam

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in combines

to come together to form a single unit the elements hydrogen and oxygen associate to form molecules of water

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as in cooperates

to form or enter into an association that furthers the interests of its members nations deciding to associate in order to remove trade barriers

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as in mixes

to take part in social activities you should try to associate with people your own age

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associates

2 of 2

noun

plural of associate

as in colleagues

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

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as in coworkers

a fellow worker my associates at the office

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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

What being Southern meant to his father—and the values Duane associates with being a Southern gentleman. — Sid Evans, Southern Living, 11 Aug. 2026 The productivity boom everyone associates with the personal computer didn’t actually show up in the macro data until 15 years after the PC was commercialized. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 July 2026 The two-time Oscar winner, who was born in Concord and grew up in the East Bay, associates that sign with some of his favorite Bay Area childhood memories. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 15 June 2026 The third vessel, for example, contains circular discs symbolizing water, which Chan associates with rebirth. — Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026 In practical terms, that means Forest now associates humans with food and safety, the opposite of what a wild deer needs to survive. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026 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

Noun

This year, the Iranian government froze the bank accounts and seized assets belonging to more than a hundred Iranians who are living overseas, including dozens of staff members and associates of Iran International. — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026 To hear his closest associates tell it, the magic was in the match — pairing the talent with the tune. — Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2026 From 1970 to 1980, its membership increased eightfold, to more than 700,000—bolstered by a push to include low-level sales associates in its membership and a rush of women joining. — Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026 Screenshots shared with The Charlotte Observer by Moore show that Bogan repeatedly messaged Reform Stables’ business associates or fellow event organizers with animal abuse allegations against the stable and Moore, and insulted him online. — Amber Gaudet updated August 21, Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2026 The records say Fang solicited campaign contributions from associates and referred prospective interns to Swalwell’s congressional office. — Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026 In the indictment, prosecutors cite text communications, flight records, credit card receipts and security camera footage to argue Banks and his associates traveled to Los Angeles with the intent of killing Bowman. — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 The experience will also recreate Shrimp Boat Sound, Buffett’s Key West recording studio, and feature interviews with family members, bandmates, crew, friends, fishing buddies, boat builders, producers, authors, musicians and business associates. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 19 Aug. 2026 Detectives are asking anyone who knew him or has information about his friends, associates or recent activities to come forward. — Nicholas Lentz, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for associates

Verb

For her cookbook, Pereira developed and perfected 100 original recipes with easy-to-find ingredients that infuse accessible dishes with rich flavors inspired by her Portuguese-Goan heritage and travels around the world.

— Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
The Glenwood Whitewater Activity Area has a standing river wave that draws kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders, and the river, which travels through dramatic Glenwood Canyon, is a top place for travelers interested in white-water rafting.

— Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of travels

Verb

From names like ChatGPT and Gemini to Meta AI, Perplexity, and even Grok, the report identifies which chatbots are the most privacy-friendly and transparent in their practices and which are the worst offenders.

— Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
If a patient identifies a clinical trial at a viable location and wants to be considered, the patient should contact the trial recruiters directly and ask them, Balch said.

— Michelle Andrews, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of identifies

Verb

The brand combines movement and fitness with nutrition and other wellness tools to help women build sustainable habits that support their health through midlife and beyond.

— Taylor Lane, Flow Space, 24 Aug. 2026
The film is directed by Tom Stern and combines archival footage, animation, puppetry, and reenactments featuring the band.

— Brent Lang, IndieWire, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of combines

Verb

There were 223 seats at the Lee’s Summit restaurant, not all of them in use, like the 24 in the open-air patio or at the two bars — one that expands into a third outdoor patio for when the weather cooperates.

— Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 3 Aug. 2026
If the weather cooperates, the possibilities are endless — hiking, surfing, sunbathing, strolling, gazing at the stars in the sky.

— Ed Silverman, STAT, 31 July 2026

Definition of cooperates

Verb

The footage mixes high-speed chases and explosive action with comedic beats, framing a story built around chaos, mismatched heroism and rising stakes as the mission unfolds.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Everyone seemingly watches them — and a little tennis — with a $23 Honey Deuce in one hand, swaying to DJ Trizz’s mixes on the sound system.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of mixes

Noun

Poliński, a professor at the Institute of Archaeology at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland, and his colleagues began excavating the site in Pień near Dąbrowa Chełmińska in 2005.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Thankfully, soil typicity and climate in the Napa Valley allow winemakers to make wine from Sauvignon Blanc grapes similar to their colleagues in France, with more refined, complex, and restrained profiles.

— Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of colleagues

Verb

The mop-haired actor plays Joey, a spunky boy onboard who bonds with Maddie over having absent parents in the military.

— Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
Nigel Starck, too, argues that obituaries provide a glue that bonds society not in grief but in an aspirational reevaluation of our own lives.

— Sam Roberts, Longreads, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of bonds

Verb

According to the company, SignalTrace detects and correlates electronic signals that devices publicly broadcast.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Research indicates that utilizing these benefits correlates with improved health outcomes, including higher rates of preventive visits and better chronic disease management.

— Aimée K. Dailey, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of correlates

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associates

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Style

“Associates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/associates. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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verb

noun

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