as in gazes
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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Recent Examples of fixates
Their history adds a third layer to the depth of Lux; Hemlocke Springs similarly fixates on religious motifs on The Apple Tree Under the Sea.
—
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2026
The national debate on healthcare costs often fixates on single solutions.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
Like Rear Window, Dial M for Murder fixates on the intersections between romance, paranoia, and curiosity.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Of course, the internet fixates on the moment, with many TikTok commenters focussing on the age difference between Aaron and his step-daughters Angelica and Jessie Jopling.
—Glamour, 1 Feb. 2026
When a person fixates on a target, their retina captures visual information and sends it to the brain via the optic nerve.
—Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Annie, who was abandoned by her mother, fixates on the idea of finding her once again.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Her character, Agnes, is introduced to these ideas after connecting with Peter, a Gulf War veteran who fixates on a bug problem in her hotel room as part of a larger theory about surveillance.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026
Who would blame them for assuming that a woman who fixates on where her novels are placed at an airport bookstore cares about money and material things?
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2026
The national debate on healthcare costs often fixates on single solutions.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
Like Rear Window, Dial M for Murder fixates on the intersections between romance, paranoia, and curiosity.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Of course, the internet fixates on the moment, with many TikTok commenters focussing on the age difference between Aaron and his step-daughters Angelica and Jessie Jopling.
—Glamour, 1 Feb. 2026
When a person fixates on a target, their retina captures visual information and sends it to the brain via the optic nerve.
—Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Annie, who was abandoned by her mother, fixates on the idea of finding her once again.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Her character, Agnes, is introduced to these ideas after connecting with Peter, a Gulf War veteran who fixates on a bug problem in her hotel room as part of a larger theory about surveillance.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026
Who would blame them for assuming that a woman who fixates on where her novels are placed at an airport bookstore cares about money and material things?
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fixates
Verb
-
One character gazes out and tries to make a decision.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
20 May 2026
-
And Sylvie, who still gazes with utmost tenderness at a black-and-white photograph, taken during her time abroad, of a nameless wailing Russian child, has permanently abandoned her own daughter by refusing to visit her.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
There are countless points during Body of Work, the new hour-long behemoth from Edward Skeletrix, where the multi-hyphenate artist stares dead into the proverbial camera.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
-
But less than three minutes into the conversation, Earl leaps off Maslany’s lap, freezes in place and stares ahead.—
Senior Television,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The New York Knicks took a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday as the franchise eyes its first NBA Finals berth since 1999.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
24 May 2026
-
The Kansas City Chiefs' 2026-2027 schedule dropped on May 14 and Swifties are already scanning the calendar — including ticket sites — for home games as the superstar eyes a potential return to Arrowhead Stadium for a fourth season.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The decision places Stegra’s, among those the European Union considers strategically important for reaching its climate goals.—
Catarina Rolfsdotter-Jansson,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Atallah considers the sport more than just self-defense.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Moorman observes that organizations also increasingly seek external partners capable of combining specialized expertise, scalable delivery, and advanced technologies to support long-term operational value.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
26 May 2026
-
In these days, the Christian community observes Pentecost, which is the celebration of the driving winds of the Holy Spirit, which enabled people to speak their own languages and to understand one another.—
Michael Pham,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 May 2026
Verb
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Connie Lansdown, the hysterectomy patient, watches the storm yank a man from a reclining chair and drag him down the hall.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
-
Cootie watches a stranger muse about him on the news.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Straitjacketed inside the inescapable present, Pearl gapes up to discover that her husband, Walker, has found her; Walker was always going to find her.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The mental image most people carry into a salary conversation is two people on opposite sides of a table, locked in a staring contest until one person blinks.—
Kwame Christian Esq,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
An engineer by training, Massie designed several patents — some on display in his office — as well as a debt calculator that blinks in flashing red numerals as the nation’s deficits pile up.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fixates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fixates. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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