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
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
The video shows Zarutska sit in a seat in front of Brown, who fixates on her and after several minutes pulls out a knife and stabs her several times in the neck, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
—Danielle Battaglia, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2025
During a hospital stay, Roy’s enfeebled mother fixates on the caste and religious affiliations of the doctors treating her—the sort of thing that will be familiar to anyone who has cringed at a diminished elder’s unfiltered prejudices.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
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
The video shows Zarutska sit in a seat in front of Brown, who fixates on her and after several minutes pulls out a knife and stabs her several times in the neck, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
—Danielle Battaglia, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2025
During a hospital stay, Roy’s enfeebled mother fixates on the caste and religious affiliations of the doctors treating her—the sort of thing that will be familiar to anyone who has cringed at a diminished elder’s unfiltered prejudices.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fixates
Verb
-
Tuxedoed servers wear playing-card pins on their lapels; a slot machine in the entryway shaped like a life-size Doc Holliday gazes at diners with uncanny intensity.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
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Curving around the glistening, glacial Sarmiento Lake, an amphitheater of rooms gazes up at the Paine massif, with scenes constantly shifting depending on the time of day.—
Sarah Marshall,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Nearby, Ella Dalton stares into a copy of Normal People by Sally Rooney, and Mahi Kabra lounges by the hair-washing sinks holding A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara.—
Arden Fanning Andrews,
Vogue,
6 Mar. 2026
-
When Robbie first strokes the plush walls, her Cathy stares with the appropriate mix of awe and terror.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Subsequently, the filmmaker became enamored with airplanes and transferred that same fascination onto Lil Ant, who eyes the planes overhead with palpable yearning and, at one point, shoplifts a toy plane from a store.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Talarico’s numbers are notable and underscore the Senate Democratic primary will be hard-fought as the party eyes the chance to flip a Senate seat in the Lone Star State.—
Caroline Vakil,
The Hill,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sullivan considers the importance of protest music to facilitate camaraderie, build morale, and change minds.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
-
That quest starts in earnest this week, as Denver considers whether to push to retain any of its impending free agents and then hits the legal tampering period with all free agents beginning Monday.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hawaii observes Hawaiian Standard Time (HST) all year, and most of Arizona observes Mountain Standard Time (MST).—
Jordan Green,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The findings match what Ildiko Tabori, a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles, observes and experiences in real life.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
His scientist creator, Victor Frankenstein, reluctantly agrees, but at the last moment tears the unfinished mate limb from limb as the creature watches on in horror.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The Mid-Credits Scene The mid-credits scene centers on Peter Sarsgaard’s character, Detective Wiles, who watches as a group of women place a tattoo on mob boss Lupino’s face that mirrors the facial marking seen on The Bride.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 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
-
Downtime on the set A few blinks later, crews wheeled in a larger-than-life, powder blue prop for the next episode and the contestants lined back up again, ready to take on a new task.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Maybe somebody blinks and the Rangers get a better result.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fixates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fixates. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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