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
At Harvard, Jesse Eisenberg’s Mark Zuckerberg fixates on the exclusive final clubs that won’t quite accept him.
—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
But what one fixates on here is how the two men flanking the woman stand protectively close to her.
—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
30 May 2026
And interminably long campaign cycles — where media coverage fixates on the horse race and almost never engages with policy — leave voters both disengaged and underinformed.
—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 May 2026
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
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
But what one fixates on here is how the two men flanking the woman stand protectively close to her.
—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
30 May 2026
And interminably long campaign cycles — where media coverage fixates on the horse race and almost never engages with policy — leave voters both disengaged and underinformed.
—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fixates
Verb
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The sun sets over the bay of Cassis, a charming seaside resort near Marseille, as a young woman gazes toward the horizon.
-
One character gazes out and tries to make a decision.
Verb
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Her shocked caregiver stares at her uncomprehendingly.
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The first photo of the two-slide carousel shows Prince Harry holding Lilibet in his arms while Meghan, her arm on her husband, stares lovingly at her daughter.
Verb
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In the Africa section, the zoo eyes a revamp of the hippo and crocodile habitats and at least one additional exhibit.
-
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.
Verb
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Gupta considers the blanket rent freeze a blunt tool that doesn't adequately address the affordability crisis.
-
The Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio considers the overall perspective of quality across thousands of companies, not just a single driving factor, retains the 30 strongest, and rebalances them with rigor.
Verb
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The rare disruptions that insurance companies struggle to factor into their calculations aren’t so rare anymore, Oliver Bäte observes.
-
Macharaviaya observes the independence of the United States because a hero of the American Revolution, Bernardo de Gálvez, was born there.
Verb
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As Joe continues alone, Angela watches him with tears in her eyes before resting her head on his shoulder.
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Howitt watches players for signs of issues with mechanics and ensures targets for training loads are being met.
Verb
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Straitjacketed inside the inescapable present, Pearl gapes up to discover that her husband, Walker, has found her; Walker was always going to find her.
Verb
-
The question is who blinks first.
-
Even after five years in the job, Alejo occasionally blinks in confusion at a line and turns to her laptop to google what these government and corporate bureaucracies are trying to say.
Cite this Entry
“Fixates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fixates. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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