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Glite Dictionary
to free-associate

to free-associate

2 8.0
To think of ideas and memories without planning
  • phrasal verb
  • /friː əˈsoʊsieɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : asociar libremente
  • During the therapy session, the doctor encouraged me to free-associate about my childhood memories.
  • just free-associate

And well, free associating on this dream, like, oh shit.

Examples

  • Speak the words "Mr. Goodbar" and ask me to free-associate, and if I don't say "Diane Keaton," I will surely say "brain autopsy."

    Fiction book (2002)

  • He allows his mind to free associate, as the technicians have told him to.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • The trick is to take each element of the dream and free associate.

    Paranormal Whacktivity (2013)

  • And he has me sit with my eyes closed and free-associate, right?

    Passion Fish (1992)

  • Shall I start with dreams or should we free-associate?

    Marnie (1964)

  • Dr. Pro sky suggested that I free-associate.

    Righteous Kill (2008)

  • She closed her eyes again and tried to free associate.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • She knew that sometimes if she just started typing, free-associating, the ideas would come.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Generating creative ideas involves complex mental activities such as exploring hypothetical situations, switching assumptions, and free-associating.

    Academic text (2001)

  • It's also when we're distracted when and maybe that is the same thing as multitasking, but also when we're free associating, that's when our creativity comes in.

Synonyms

to associate
vsto free-associate
364 3.4

To link one thing in your mind to another

is a spontaneous unconstrained linking of ideas used in psychological technique

Antonyms

to restrict
361 3.1

Limit how much people can use or access something

to constrain
64 5.6

To limit what someone can do or how they can act

How Spontaneous

to riff
  • Informal
10 6.3
to free-associate
  • Specialized
2 8.0
to brainstorm
39 3.4
to reflect
265 3.9

Surface Forms

free-associate infinitive
free-associated past
free-associated past participle
free-associating present participle
free-associates third person singular

Morphology

free-associate = free + associate (transparent) = free + associate

A direct combination meaning 'to associate freely' (equivalent to 'associate freely'), which a B1 learner can derive from the base words.

Etymology

Free-associate combines free ('without rules') and associate ('to connect' or 'be a companion'), a root you also see in social. So, to free-associate is to let your mind join ideas quickly and without judging them, which is why people use it in therapy and for creative work.