Word
association
Phoneticsas·so·ci·a·tion, stress on the fourth syllable
US/əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃən/
UK/ɐsˈəʊsɪˈeɪʃən/
Definitions
01an organisation
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a group of people who have joined together for a particular purpose or interest.
n. a formal organisation of people or groups with a common interest or goal.
“The local residents formed an association to protect the park from builders.”
“The professional association provides its members with legal advice and keeps them updated on changes to industry regulations.”
Synonyms
02a connection or link
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a connection or relationship between people, things, or ideas.
n. the state of being connected or the act of linking one thing with another in the mind.
“The company denied any association with the political scandal.”
“Psychologists often use word games to explore the subconscious associations patients make between certain colours and childhood memories.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03statistical relationship
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Mathematics Technical · Academic
n. a relationship between two sets of data where they seem to change together.
n. a relationship between two measured quantities that renders them statistically dependent, though not necessarily implying a causal link.
“The study found a strong association between a healthy diet and a long life.”
“Researchers noted a significant statistical association between the two variables, although they cautioned that this did not prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'between'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “association” in context.
Verb
01. demonstrate association
“The study aims to demonstrate a clear association between diet and heart health.”
verb + noun
02. examine association
“Researchers will examine the association between social media use and sleep quality.”
verb + noun
03. find association
“Scientists were surprised to find an association between the two rare conditions.”
verb + noun
04. investigate association
“We need more data to investigate the association between these environmental factors.”
verb + noun
05. reveal association
“The latest results reveal a strong association between exercise and mental well-being.”
verb + noun
06. show association
“The graphs show a direct association between rising temperatures and ice melt.”
verb + noun
Adjective
07. direct association
“There is a direct association between smoking and various types of cancer.”
adj + noun
08. negative association
“The survey found a negative association between high stress levels and job satisfaction.”
adj + noun
09. positive association
“There is a positive association between reading for pleasure and academic success.”
adj + noun
10. significant association
“The analysis confirmed a significant association between the two variables.”
adj + noun
11. statistical association
“A statistical association does not always imply a cause-and-effect relationship.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“Photograph: Thames Valley police/PA Tom Wheatley, the president of the Prison Governors’ Association, said further changes to the scheme could lead to prisoners being wrongly released.” “For the same reason, the 54-year-old had stopped inviting friends over to her house and had been living in fear of a complaint from her housing association.” “The housing association claimed Thames Water was supplying “lower flow pressures than in previous years”.” “This prompted the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to launch a global campaign , external to encourage passengers to "Travel Smart with Lithium Batteries".” Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *sokʷéh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ṓy Proto-Indo-European *sokʷh₂ṓy Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Indo-European *sokʷyós Proto-Italic *sokjos Latin sokios Latin socius Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin sociō Latin associō Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Latin -tiō Latin associātiōbor. English association From Latin associātiō, from associō (perhaps via French association). Morphologically associate + -ion. The Philippine sense is a calque of Spanish gremio.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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