transfix

verb trans·fix \ tran(t)s-ˈfiks \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of transfix

transitive verb

1 : to hold motionless by or as if by piercing

he stood transfixed by her gaze

2 : to pierce through with or as if with a pointed weapon : impale

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transfixion

play \-ˈfik-shən\ noun

See transfix defined for English-language learners

See transfix defined for kids

Examples of transfix in a Sentence

transfixed the inanimate butterfly specimens to the collection board

Recent Examples of transfix from the Web

Arab al-Zubayd, where a 16-year-old girl is transfixed by a magic box; to the White House, where Harry Truman feels haunted; to Rome, where Benito Mussolini’s Fascist Party is reformed with a new name, the Movimento Sociale Italiano.

— linda kinstler, The New Republic, "How 1947 Changed the World," 5 Apr. 2018
The torrent of people who have died in the opioid crisis has transfixed and horrified the nation, with overdose now the leading cause of death for Americans younger than 50.

— Anchorage Daily News, "1 son, 6 hours, 4 overdoses: A family’s relentless cycle," 21 Jan. 2018
In January, the nation was transfixed by the case of a 6-year-old girl who was found raped and left for dead in a dumpster in a town in Punjab province.

— zulfiqar ali, latimes.com, "Pakistan grapples with epidemic of child rape cases, in a society where sex education is taboo," 20 Mar. 2018
Campers gaze, transfixed, at images of lives well lived.

— gary thompson, Philly.com, "Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland hit dead end in road movie 'The Leisure Seeker.'," 14 Mar. 2018
As a kid growing up in New Jersey, she was transfixed by her older sister's copies of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.

— samantha swindler, OregonLive.com, "Portland-filmed web series makes kids science fun," 10 Mar. 2018
The locals are transfixed on the handsome new arrival from America, Oliver, who shows off his dance floor skills at an outdoor party.

— john norris, Billboard, "2018 Oscars: 6 Standout Songs From Academy Award-Nominated Films," 28 Feb. 2018
Though Washington and the chattering classes are transfixed by the search for Russia collusion and by Trump’s gaffes and scandals, most Americans may not be as fascinated with these subjects as the liberal media would like them to be.

— jonathan s. tobin, National Review, "Will the Economy Trump the President’s Behavior?," 9 Feb. 2018
The disaster has transfixed an Iran still reeling from days of protests and unrest that swept the country at the start of the year.

— christopher bodeen, The Seattle Times, "East China Sea slick fire from sunken oil tanker burns out," 15 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'transfix.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.