free association

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nounPsychoanalysis.
  1. the uncensored expression of the ideas, impressions, etc., passing through the mind of the analysand, a technique used to facilitate access to the unconscious.

Origin of free association

1
First recorded in 1895–1900

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use free association in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for free association

free association

noun
  1. psychoanal a method of exploring a person's unconscious by eliciting words and thoughts that are associated with key words provided by a psychoanalyst

  2. a spontaneous mental process whereby ideas, words, or images suggest other ideas, etc, in a nonlogical chain reaction

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