associate
associate — verb
1. to link one person, thing, or idea with another in your thoughts, so that thinki
to link one person, thing, or idea with another in your thoughts, so that thinking of one brings the other to mind.
Most Taiwanese people associate Tainan with great street food.
associate X with Y pattern
The smell of pine trees always makes Hannah associate winter with her grandfather's cabin.
Red envelopes are strongly associated with Lunar New Year in many Asian cultures.
Coach Wu told the parents not to associate Kenji's tattoos with gang trouble.
Patagonia has long been associated with durable jackets and strong environmental values.
- dissociate
to deliberately break a mental link, often to distance yourself from something
文法句型
associate someone/something with someone/something
be associated with
用法筆記
Almost always paired with the preposition 'with'. Frequently appears in the passive ('be associated with') when describing a widely held link, rather than one person's private thought.
常見錯誤
2. to regularly spend social time with a particular person or group, often a group
to regularly spend social time with a particular person or group, often a group that other people view negatively.
Mrs Lin warned her son not to associate with the older boys behind the temple.
associate with + people the speaker disapproves of
After his promotion, Daniel mostly associated with senior partners at the firm.
The politician was criticised for associating with several known criminals.
In her teens, Yuki refused to associate with anyone who drank or smoked.
- mix with
more neutral and common in everyday speech
- fraternise
very formal; often used about contact between groups that should stay apart
- hang out with
informal; warm and friendly, no negative tone
文法句型
associate with somebody
用法筆記
Distinct from sense 1 by being intransitive and taking a person, not a thing, after 'with'. Carries a slightly disapproving tone — neutral 'spend time with' or 'hang out with' is preferred when the relationship is positive.
常見錯誤
associate — noun
1. a person you work or do business with, or someone you spend a lot of time with a
a person you work or do business with, or someone you spend a lot of time with as a friend or partner.
Mr Chen introduced me to two of his business associates from Singapore.
common collocation: business associate
The mayor relied heavily on a small group of close associates for advice.
close associates of [person]
Several of the senator's former associates were called to testify in court.
Sami sent the contract to her associates in the Tokyo office for review.
文法句型
a business associate
a close associate of someone
用法筆記
Sounds more formal and distant than 'colleague' or 'friend'. Common in news reporting about politicians, executives, or criminals — implies a working or strategic relationship rather than personal warmth.
常見錯誤
2. in the United States, a person who has completed a two-year college programme an
in the United States, a person who has completed a two-year college programme and earned the qualification known as an associate's degree.
After two years at the community college, Jamal graduated as an associate in nursing.
associate in [field]
After working as a nursing associate for two years, Priya enrolled at the state university.
The school district hires associates as teaching assistants while they continue studying.
Carla earned her associate's degree in graphic design before joining the studio.
- graduate
more general — can mean any level of degree, not just a two-year one
文法句型
associate of [field/college]
用法筆記
Mainly North American. The full phrase 'associate's degree' is far more common than the bare noun 'associate' for the qualification holder; outside the US, 'diploma' or 'two-year degree' is often used instead.
常見錯誤
3. a person who belongs to a club, professional body, or company at a lower level t
a person who belongs to a club, professional body, or company at a lower level than a full member, often with fewer rights or privileges.
As an associate of the Royal Photographic Society, Aiko could not yet vote in elections.
associate of [organization]
The law firm hires twenty new associates each summer straight from law school.
junior employee meaning
At the Hong Kong Yacht Club, Mr Leung and other associates pay reduced fees but cannot enter the dining room.
After five years as an associate, Diego was finally promoted to full partner.
- junior member
plain wording for the same idea
- affiliate
stresses formal attachment to an organisation, often without full membership
- full member
someone with complete rights and voting power
- partner
in a law firm, the senior owner-rank above associate
文法句型
an associate of [organization]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (work partner) by the institutional ranking: this sense names a defined lower tier within a society, firm, or organisation, with rules about what an associate may or may not do. Often appears as a job title in law firms and consulting.
常見錯誤
associate — adjective
1. placed before a job title to show that the person holds a slightly junior versio
placed before a job title to show that the person holds a slightly junior version of that role, usually with fewer duties or less seniority than the full title.
Dr Park was promoted from assistant professor to associate professor last spring.
associate professor — common academic rank
The hospital appointed Sofia as an associate director of nursing services.
associate + [role]
Hannah and two other associate editors at National Geographic spent months preparing the ocean issue.
Mr Xander serves as an associate judge in the family court.
文法句型
associate + [job title / role noun]
用法筆記
Attributive only — never used after a linking verb (you can say 'an associate professor', not 'the professor is associate'). Always sits directly before the role noun and is fixed within institutional title systems (universities, courts, publishing houses).