5 syllables: as, so, ci, a, tion. Stress on a.
uh-soh-see-AY-shuhn
/əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃən/
association is pronounced uh-soh-see-AY-shuhn (/əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃən/). It has five syllables (as-so-ci-a-tion), with the stress on "a". Association refers to a relationship or connection between people, things, or ideas, or an organized group with a common purpose. It can denote a social or professional linkage, or the act of associating—linking concepts in memory or thought. In psychology and sociology, it often highlights how ideas co-occur or influence one another within a network of relationships.
Association refers to a relationship or connection between people, things, or ideas, or an organized group with a common purpose. It can denote a social or professional linkage, or the act of associating—linking concepts in memory or thought. In psychology and sociology, it often highlights how ideas co-occur or influence one another within a network of relationships.
"The association between exercise and improved mood is well documented."
"She joined the local writers' association to meet like-minded authors."
"The study examined the association among income, education, and health outcomes."
Phonetically, it is /əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃn̩/ in US English, with primary stress on the fourth syllable: as-so-ci-Ā-tion. In careful speech the final -tion is often a syllabic n̩, so you might hear a light nasal vowel at the end. Break it into four moras: a-SSO-si-Ā-tion. For UK English, /əˌsəʊsiˈeɪʃn̩/, and in Australian English, /əˌsəʊsiˈeɪʃn̩/ with similar rhythm and a non-rhotic accent.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (e.g., /ˌæsəsɪˈeɪʃən/), misplacing the /ʃ/ before /n/ (you might say /ˌæsoʊsiˈeɪtʃən/), or elongating the middle vowels. To correct: keep the primary stress on the fourth syllable (as-so-ci-Ā-tion), ensure the /ʃ/ in the -tion sequence is clear but not overly strong, and maintain a light, non-rhotic ending where appropriate. Practicing with a slow, deliberate rhythm helps align the syllable boundaries.
US tends to a stronger /oʊ/ in the second syllable and a clear /eɪ/ in the -ation, with a light schwa elsewhere; non-rhoticity is less pronounced in many US speakers. UK typically has a slightly closer /əʊ/ for the /oʊ/ diphthong and a sharper /ʃən/ at the end, with less vowel reduction in some speakers. Australian English shows a similar pattern to UK but with broader vowels and a more pronounced Australian Vowel Shift; final -ation often has a softer /ʃn̩/ with reduced vowel length. IPA references stabilize the core: /əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃn̩/ (US) vs /əˌsəʊsiˈeɪʃn̩/ (UK/AU).
Three challenges stand out: the sequence of unstressed schwas and the shift from the /oʊ/ to /si/ portion, the onset of the /eɪ/ diphthong in -ation, and the final -tion cluster /tʃn̩/ that can blur. The main difficulty is balancing a clear /si/ digraph before the /eɪ/ and ensuring the final /n̩/ is syllabic rather than an overt vowel. Practicing by isolating the middle transitions and using a light mouth closure for the final nasal helps you land the rhythm cleanly.
A distinctive feature is the syllabic final -tion, where the final /n/ can become a syllabic nasal (n̩) with no separate vowel. You’ll hear a minimal vowel in fast speech, but careful pronunciation uses a small, almost inaudible vowel to keep the ending tight. This syllabic n̩ is a hallmark of many English nouns ending in -ation, especially in careful or formal speech, and it affects the overall cadence and rhythm of the word.
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The word association comes from the late Latin associatio, from Latin associ-, the stem of associare meaning to unite or join together; from ad- ‘toward’ + se- ‘together’ (variant of sec- ‘separate’). In Old French, association appeared as association, carrying the sense of a grouping or connexion. The English adoption traces to the early 14th century via Latin and French, initially meaning the act of uniting, then broadening to include a group of people organized for a common purpose (e.g., professional societies). By the 19th century, psychology adopted association to describe the mental linkage between ideas, and today it also denotes formal organizations and the social web of connections among variables or concepts. First known uses appear in legal and philosophical Latin writings, then medieval French texts, finally entering English with broader senses in the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, expanding to modern social science terminology. The word’s core sense has always revolved around linkage—whether among people, ideas, or actions—made explicit through the Latin root associare and the English noun-forming suffix -ation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "association" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "association"
-ion sounds
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