FIXATES Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

fixates

verb

present tense third-person singular of fixate

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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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 fixates Throughout the evacuation, Olya fixates on the fact that men aged 18 to 60 are barred from leaving, all the while wearing a ridiculous big fluffy hat that seems to protect her more from the societal meltdown around her than from the cold. — Sonya Vseliubska, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026 Fascinatingly, the journey of the eager-to-please author often paralleled that of the novel’s protagonist, who fixates relentlessly on how others perceive her. — Literary Hub, 13 July 2026 Humphreys’ broader argument is the debate fixates on the toll itself while ignoring costs and benefits absent from any E-ZPass statement—air pollution, noise, street wear. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 8 July 2026 Today's stock-market market conversation is dominated by structural dynamics, index machinations and mechanical flows the way World Cup chatter fixates on officiating decisions and bracket construction. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 7 July 2026 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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fixates

Verb

Yan gazes intently at how the colors reflect against Pascoal’s skin, eyes and hair.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026
It’s presented as an impressionistic historical montage, of Black farmworkers and the land, with clips of Black history that include modern suburbs, and a woman—Z herself—who gazes out of a door into a sere expanse of land bordered by low mountains.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of gazes

Verb

Which is why her character flicks through YouTube plastic surgery videos and stares at older women on the bus, comparing her wrinkles and checking her neck for any signs of sagging.

— Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 24 Aug. 2026
Taped to the glass divider of Ryan McMahon’s locker, a drawing of Trent Grisham stares at the Yankees’ clubhouse.

— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of stares

Verb

Apple considers these high-confidence alerts that someone has specifically targeted you with unusually sophisticated spyware.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
In the film, the German documentary filmmaker considers the heady question of what the internet might be doing to us humans.

— Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of considers

Verb

India observes National Fire Service Day (also called Fire Brigade Day) on the anniversary of the explosion each year, to honor the firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty.

— Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Aug. 2026
Power and Decision Making in Modern Leadership Jim Dunn observes that power in modern leadership has shifted tremendously from command and control authority to the ability to influence, empower, and foster collaborations.

— K.H. Koehler, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of observes

Verb

Everyone seemingly watches them — and a little tennis — with a $23 Honey Deuce in one hand, swaying to DJ Trizz’s mixes on the sound system.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Barack Obama watches the fireworks after his acceptance of the Democratic presidential nomination at Invesco Field at Mile High at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.

— Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026