as in obsession
something about which one is constantly thinking or concerned
had this bizarre idée fixe that people were spying on her with electromagnetic waves
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of idée fixe
This is perhaps why their partnership remains an idee fixe so many decades later.
—
Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2021
Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idée fixe
Noun
-
These boat loafers are very much in line with the old money aesthetic that continues to trend, especially in the wake of the Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy obsession triggered by Ryan Murphy’s Love Story.—
Ana Serrano,
Glamour,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Plus, though last year’s obsession with polka dots hasn’t completely died down, eye-catching horizontal stripes are threatening to dethrone spots as the pattern du jour.—
Jordan Julian,
InStyle,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Imelda Marcos’ fetish for fiendishly expensive shoes was a running gag in the 1980s.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Mikomi sees images generated by Grok of her wearing specific fetish outfits, or her body contorted or placed in strange contexts.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Today’s fixation on Love Story-era minimalism and the enduring mythmaking of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy only underscores the idea that a great pair of jeans can do as much personal-style work as anything else.—
The Glamour editors,
Glamour,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Gray also spoke about Colt's fixation on school shooters and photographs on his wall of Nikolas Cruz, the gunman responsible for the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.—
Skyler Henry,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idée fixe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/id%C3%A9e%20fixe. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
