Associate vs. Connect — What's the Difference?

To connect in the mind or imagination

Bring together or into contact so that a real or notional link is established

To connect or involve with a cause, group, or partner

Associate or relate (something) in some respect

To correlate or connect logically or causally

(of a blow) hit the intended target

To join in or form a league, union, or association

To join or fasten together

To spend time socially; keep company

To associate or consider as related

A person united with another or others in an act, enterprise, or business; a partner or colleague.

To join to or by means of a communications circuit

An employee, especially one in a subordinate position,

To plug in (an electrical cord or device) to an outlet.

A companion; a comrade.

To become joined or united

One that habitually accompanies or is associated with another; an attendant circumstance.

To be scheduled so as to provide continuing service, as between airplanes or buses.

A member of an institution or society who is granted only partial status or privileges.

To establish a rapport or relationship; relate

Joined with another or others and having equal or nearly equal status

(Sports) To hit or play a ball or puck successfully

Having partial status or privileges

To join (to another object): to attach, or to be intended to attach or capable of attaching, to another object.

Following or accompanying; concomitant.

To join: to attach, or to be intended to attach or capable of attaching, to each other.

Joined with another or others and having lower status.

To arrive at an intended target; to land.

Having partial status or privileges.

To join (two other objects), or to join (one object) to (another object): to be a link between two objects, thereby attaching them to each other.

Following or accompanying; concomitant.

To join (two other objects), or to join (one object) to (another object): to take one object and attach it to another.

Connected by habit or sympathy.

To join an electrical or telephone line to a circuit or network.

A person united with another or others in an act, enterprise, or business; a partner.

To associate; to establish a relation between.

Somebody with whom one works, coworker, colleague.

To make a travel connection; to switch from one means of transport to another as part of the same trip.

A companion; a comrade.

(slang) A drug dealer.

One that habitually accompanies or is associated with another; an attendant circumstance.

To join, or fasten together, as by something intervening; to associate; to combine; to unite or link together; to establish a bond or relation between.

A member of an institution or society who is granted only partial status or privileges.

To associate (a person or thing, or one's self) with another person, thing, business, or affair.

(algebra) One of a pair of elements of an integral domain (or a ring) such that the two elements are divisible by each other (or, equivalently, such that each one can be expressed as the product of the other with a unit).

To establish a communication link; - used with with; as, his telephone didn't answer, so I connected with him by email.

(intransitive) To join in or form a league, union, or association.

To electronically or mechanically link (a device) to another device, or to link a device to a common communication line; - used with with; as, the installer connected our telephones on Monday; I connected my VCR to the TV set by myself; the plumber connected a shut-off valve to my gas line.

(intransitive) To spend time socially; keep company.

To join, unite, or cohere; to have a close relation; as, one line of railroad connects with another; one argument connects with another.

To join as a partner, ally, or friend.

Connect, fasten, or put together two or more pieces;

(transitive) To connect or join together; combine.

Make a logical or causal connection;

(transitive) To connect evidentially, or in the mind or imagination.

Be or become joined or united or linked;

To endorse.

Join by means of communication equipment;

(mathematics) To be associative.

Land on or hit solidly;

To accompany; to be in the company of.

Join for the purpose of communication;

To join with one, as a friend, companion, partner, or confederate; as, to associate others with us in business, or in an enterprise.

Be scheduled so as to provide continuing service, as in transportation;

To join or connect; to combine in acting; as, particles of gold associated with other substances.

Establish a rapport or relationship;

To connect or place together in thought.

Establish communication with someone;

To accompany; to keep company with.

Plug into an outlet;

To unite in company; to keep company, implying intimacy; as, congenial minds are disposed to associate.

Hit or play a ball successfully;

To unite in action, or to be affected by the action of a different part of the body.

Closely connected or joined with some other, as in interest, purpose, employment, or office; sharing responsibility or authority; as, an associate judge.

Admitted to some, but not to all, rights and privileges; as, an associate member.

Connected by habit or sympathy; as, associate motions, such as occur sympathetically, in consequence of preceding motions.

A companion; one frequently in company with another, implying intimacy or equality; a mate; a fellow.

A partner in interest, as in business; or a confederate in a league.

One connected with an association or institution without the full rights or privileges of a regular member; as, an associate of the Royal Academy.

Anything closely or usually connected with another; an concomitant.

A person who joins with others in some activity;

A person who is frequently in the company of another;

Any event that usually accompanies or is closely connected with another;

A degree granted by a two-year college on successful completion of the undergraduates course of studies

Make a logical or causal connection;

Keep company with; hang out with;

Bring or come into association or action;

Having partial rights and privileges or subordinate status;