as in to gaze
to look at or think about something constantly; to give all of your attention to something
—usually + on or upon
The cat was fixated on a small hole in the wall. Why do journalists fixate on scandals?
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 fixate
The inevitable tendency when someone goes like that — and many of us have had this happen in their lives — is to fixate on what was going through the person’s life.
—
Chris Willman, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
Hormendy also cautioned the media about fixating on distraction.
—Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Parasocially fixating on microcelebrities who want their money.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2026
But with so much to be gained from a higher Premier League finish, Howe cannot simply fixate upon downing Barcelona when the odds are against Newcastle.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fixate
Chris Willman, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
Hormendy also cautioned the media about fixating on distraction.
—Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Parasocially fixating on microcelebrities who want their money.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2026
But with so much to be gained from a higher Premier League finish, Howe cannot simply fixate upon downing Barcelona when the odds are against Newcastle.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fixate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fixate
Verb
-
All three writers turned loving, humorous, piercing gazes on a particular place, exploring, through cycles of plays, the rich humanity and the grave historical wounds of its inhabitants.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
-
One untitled work from 1994 shows a strange monster—a guard bent over, gazing back at us between his own legs, his upside-down grin framed by his jackboots.—
Ben Davis,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For a few seconds, everyone at Progressive Field — players, umpires, fans, cotton candy vendors — stared at the video board, awaiting the handy diagram that would determine whether the Cleveland Guardians’ lead was in jeopardy.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The couple sat in a vestibule inside the Aurora immigration detention facility on a Saturday in March, staring at each other through the glass barrier separating the incarcerated from the free.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Microsoft still retains its equity stake in OpenAI’s for-profit company, as that company eyes a possible IPO later this year.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In 2027, the space agency is eyeing up to 30 more uncrewed landings.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If the particular coat isn’t available anymore, consider a gift card.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Las Vegas has depth at the edge, making the Auburn product an interesting pick considering needs like offensive line, defensive tackle and wide receiver are still unfilled.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What is going to be most interesting to watch unfold on Sunday is how teams/manufacturers and their plethora of engineers attempt to use the new stage lengths to their advantage.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Relatives of the defendant, about a half dozen of whom watched from the gallery at his arraignment, cheered the judge’s decision to cut Alexander loose.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Locals complained tourist gawked at them or traipsed through their yards.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Millions attended these exhibits and then went home to gawk at the vehicles at their local store.—
Jackie Charniga,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Magee, then at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus, and his students Grienberger and Katie Bittner were looking to observe the behavior of neurons’ arms, called dendrites, in a living animal.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Answering a profound question Within the past year, Curiosity has also detected the largest organic molecules ever discovered on Mars, while the Perseverance rover observed leopard spots on rocks that ancient life may have made.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lawrence, though, is widely regarded as a top-five player at his position, whereas Greenard falls around 15th among edge rushers in most meaningful metrics.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell made some comments Monday regarding MLB’s ‘two-way player’ rule, which currently only applies to the Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani.—
Michael Huntley,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fixate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fixate. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
