fixate

verb

fix·​ate ˈfik-ˌsāt 

fixated; fixating

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

Some fixate on his emotional on-field demeanor, and others praise his reactions as expressions of passion tied to his want to win. — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 28 July 2026

Leaders who fixate on one outcome tend to override the signals that would normally prompt a course correction. — Dr. Samantha Madhosingh, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

Mercer’s Global Talent Trends 2026 report found executives fixate on AI integration and workforce redesign while HR leaders tend to focus on employee experience and talent processes. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 24 July 2026

Refn has long been fixated on men who try, and fail, to protect their women. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026

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

Rhymes for fixate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Medical Definition

fixate

verb

fix·​ate ˈfik-ˌsāt 

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