The expression be associated with is a common English collocation used to describe a connection, link, or relationship between two things. It implies that one entity is connected to another in the mind of the public, or that two phenomena occur together in a causal or statistical way.
While the individual words retain much of their literal meaning, the phrase is considered semi-idiomatic because the preposition "with" is fixed in this context. The register is primarily neutral to formal, making it a staple in journalism, academic research, and professional communication.
The grammatical pattern for this expression is [Subject] + [be] + associated + with + [Object].
What sounds unnatural:
These examples are sourced from be associated with on Ludwig.guru.
"Advertisers want to be associated with that." — independent.co.uk
"(Alcoholism can be associated with uncontrolled triglycerides)." — nytimes.com
"So behaviors can be associated with positive consequences, or they can be associated with negative consequences." — yale.edu
"This option would probably also be associated with debt restructuring." — theguardian.com
"It's a project I'm proud to be associated with." — theguardian.com
| Phrase | Context |
|---|---|
| be linked to | Often used in scientific or investigative contexts to show a direct connection. |
| be connected with | A neutral alternative that can describe physical, social, or logical links. |
| be related to | Common in academic writing to show a relationship between variables or family members. |
| be affiliated with | More formal; specifically used for official memberships or corporate partnerships. |
| be synonymous with | A strong rhetorical choice meaning one thing is so closely linked to another they are effectively the same. |
| Expression | Meaning | Grammatical Pattern | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| be associated with | To be connected to or linked with something in thought or reality. | [Subject] + be + associated + with + [Noun/Gerund] | Neutral / Formal |
Yes, the passive verb structure allows for adverbs to be placed between the auxiliary verb and the participle for emphasis. For example, you might say someone is "closely associated with" or "frequently associated with" a specific cause.
While both describe a connection, be associated with often deals with mental connections, reputations, or general correlations. In contrast, be linked to often implies a more direct, sometimes causal or physical connection, such as in medical studies or criminal investigations.
You must always use the preposition with when using this collocation. Learners often use the wrong preposition, such as be associated to or be associated of, instead of with, which sounds unnatural to native speakers.
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