fixate

verb

fix·​ate ˈfik-ˌsāt How to pronounce fixate (audio)
fixated; fixating
Synonyms of fixatenext

intransitive verb

1
: to focus or concentrate one's gaze or attention intently or obsessively
… he was fixating on the airport in the distance, trying to find the assigned runway.—Richard L. Collins
… the tourist mind tended to fixate on ice cream cones …—T. Coraghessan Boyle
2
: to undergo arrestment at a stage of development

transitive verb

1
: to make fixed, stationary, or unchanging
2
: to focus one's gaze on
3
: to direct (the libido) toward an infantile form of gratification

Examples of fixate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the eighteenth century, while Russia fixated on conquering Eurasia, Britain developed the steam engine; in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, while Europeans fought over Africa, Americans mastered the assembly line. — Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Several residents who spoke at the meetings characterized the opposition as a vocal minority of residents who have fixated on a few mostly parochial issues. — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026 Robbins recommends watching trends over weeks and months rather than fixating on last night’s number. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026 This move also reveals more about billionaire philanthropy than only fixating on the tax issue. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fixate

Word History

Etymology

probably back-formation from fixation, in part as translation of German fixieren

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fixate was in 1885

Rhymes for fixate

See All Rhymes for fixate

Browse Nearby Words

fixable
fixate
fixated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fixate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fixate. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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Medical Definition

fixate

verb
fix·​ate ˈfik-ˌsāt How to pronounce fixate (audio)
fixated; fixating

transitive verb

1
: to focus one's gaze on
2
: to direct (the libido) toward an infantile form of gratification

intransitive verb

1
: to focus or concentrate one's gaze or attention
an infant with normal vision … will fixate on a light held before him—The Journal of the American Medical Association
2
: to undergo arrestment at a stage of development

More from Merriam-Webster on fixate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fixate

Nglish: Translation of fixate for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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