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?
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fixate
Players instructed to fixate on the front of the rim before shooting improved their accuracy significantly more than players taught how to improve their arm mechanics.
—
Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
In August 2024, while the technology world fixated on billion-dollar AI startups, something quieter but potentially more consequential was happening in American education.
—Bryan Penprase, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Onlookers tend to fixate on starting lineups.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
The piano plays mostly arpeggios; the strings fixate for hundreds of bars on a pair of hazy four-note chords.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fixate
Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
In August 2024, while the technology world fixated on billion-dollar AI startups, something quieter but potentially more consequential was happening in American education.
—Bryan Penprase, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Onlookers tend to fixate on starting lineups.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
The piano plays mostly arpeggios; the strings fixate for hundreds of bars on a pair of hazy four-note chords.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fixate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fixate
Verb
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Whitney is gazing into the middle distance, contemplating a runner on a Lithuanian passport, when Ferdinand blows the world of season four apart.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Anna Karina, the star, gazes off to the left.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Both squadrons stare each other down on horseback, in full armor and weaponry — looking like bonafide badasses of the Game of Thrones universe.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Jordan Stolz, sitting opposite of the finish line staring at a large video board, looked at his coach and nodded.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The center sits along Richmond’s Marina Bay waterfront, an area eyed for residential and commercial growth that’s already flushed with people taking scenic strolls, walking their dogs or riding bikes.—
Sierra Lopez,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
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Given how quickly silver's price trajectory can shift, its price volatility has become an important factor to weigh, not just for silver bullion investors, but also for those eyeing silver mining stocks, which are essentially shares of precious metal mining and production companies.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
To strengthen the economy, Texas must rein in local spending, increase transparency, expand audits of cities, counties, and universities, and consider local spending caps so taxpayers aren’t saddled with unsustainable obligations.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
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Though she initially was considered missing, the urgency to quickly find Guthrie pulsed through the first days of media coverage because of her heart condition.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
John Voorhies, a Tucsonian of sixty-two years, was standing in front of Guthrie’s home, watching the activity.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
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Neither Nielsen nor NBCUniversal is offering a breakdown of how the audience shook out between NBC and Peacock, though clearly the vast majority of those viewers watched on the broadcast network.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Setting aside the gawking nature of certain style choices (the warped, swiveling, 360-degree shots used when someone starts talking about particularly demented ideas are nauseating on multiple levels), the series too closely mirrors its subjects’ insularity.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Bystanders gawk and cheer from the sidewalks.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
His family might never know all the details, but Bouzid gives the audience tangible knowledge of his passions and misgivings, accomplishing that by observing the five female characters in his orbit, and so the mystery of all their lives is fully revealed.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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Supporters of the prosecution contend Lemon was not merely observing but actively participating in conduct that disrupted worshippers.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
It’s regarded as his greatest song ever, containing his favorite themes of violence, mortality, regret, and above all, loneliness, against the backdrop of the American wilderness.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The agency has not specified if the suspension of the police powers of Blanchette and Leslie are due to violations of its policies regarding pursuits and forcibly ending them.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fixate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fixate. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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