free association
noun
1
a
: the expression (as by speaking or writing) of the content of consciousness without censorship as an aid in gaining access to unconscious processes especially in psychoanalysis
b
: the reporting of the first thought that comes to mind in response to a given stimulus (such as a word)
2
: an idea or image elicited by free association
3
: a method using free association
Examples of free association in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Such is free association in the age of late capitalism.
—
Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Meanwhile, independence trailed and free association did not make it onto the ballot.
—Christina D. Ponsa-Kraus / Made By History, TIME, 11 Oct. 2024
To protect both free association rights and fairness, therefore, states should make the elimination of legacy preferences a precondition for public aid rather than a mandatory decree.
—Frederick Hess, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
That calibration serves a purpose, according to Freud: As a site of potential discomfort, eye contact is not conducive to free association, which is what a therapist wants from their patients.
—Maya Ibbitson, Architectural Digest, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for free association 
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Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Meanwhile, independence trailed and free association did not make it onto the ballot.
—Christina D. Ponsa-Kraus / Made By History, TIME, 11 Oct. 2024
To protect both free association rights and fairness, therefore, states should make the elimination of legacy preferences a precondition for public aid rather than a mandatory decree.
—Frederick Hess, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
That calibration serves a purpose, according to Freud: As a site of potential discomfort, eye contact is not conducive to free association, which is what a therapist wants from their patients.
—Maya Ibbitson, Architectural Digest, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for free association
Dictionary Entries Near free association
Cite this Entry
“Free association.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free%20association. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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