# association

/əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃən/ (US) · /ɐsˈəʊsɪˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/association
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. an organisation

noun · CEFR B2

a group of people who have joined together for a particular purpose or interest.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. a connection or link

noun · CEFR B2

a connection or relationship between people, things, or ideas.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. statistical relationship

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Academic

a relationship between two sets of data where they seem to change together.

For teachers: 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'.

## Examples

- There is a strong association between smoking and lung disease.
- Researchers found a significant association between regular exercise and improved mental health outcomes in older adults.
- While the data reveals a clear association between increased screen time and lower sleep quality, further longitudinal studies are required to determine if one directly causes the other.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.