transfix

verb

trans·​fix tran(t)s-ˈfiks How to pronounce transfix (audio)
transfixed; transfixing; transfixes

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
transfixion noun

Examples of transfix in a Sentence

transfixed the inanimate butterfly specimens to the collection board
Recent Examples on the Web Meanwhile, across the loft space, honoree Gaetano Pesce’s workshop team worked hastily with colored resin to create a one-of-a-kind large-scale lamp, transfixing all in attendance. Zachary Schwartz, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2023 The microbiologist Barry Commoner is similarly transfixing. Angelica Aboulhosn, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Nov. 2023 As a child of the ’90s, I was instantly transfixed by Spears’s glamorous pop-star energy. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 31 Oct. 2023 In 2021, the nation’s eye transfixed on Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old who disappeared in Wyoming while traveling across the country with fiancé Brian Laundrie. Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2023 The most common birds – the ones that the locals no longer noticed or cared about – transfixed my eyes, ears, and curiosity. A. Trevor Sutton, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2023 The drama transfixed the country for hours as Pakistanis crowded around televisions in offices, shops, restaurants and hospitals. Riaz Khan and Munir Ahmed, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Aug. 2023 Everyone is rightly transfixed by the chaos in the House of Representatives, where crypto advocate and financial services chair Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) temporarily took over after Freedom Caucus members and Democrats teamed up to oust Kevin McCarthy. Leo Schwartz, Fortune Crypto, 4 Oct. 2023 Like most of the planet at that time, we were transfixed by their impossible beauty. Dina Gachman, Glamour, 27 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'transfix.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin transfixus, past participle of transfigere, from trans- + figere to fasten, pierce — more at fix

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of transfix was in 1590

Dictionary Entries Near transfix

Cite this Entry

“Transfix.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transfix. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

transfix

verb
trans·​fix tran(t)s-ˈfiks How to pronounce transfix (audio)
1
: to pierce through with or as if with a pointed weapon
2
: to hold motionless by or as if by piercing
stood transfixed by her gaze

More from Merriam-Webster on transfix

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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