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
As the media fixates on the digital natives known as Gen Z and Gen Alpha — often dismissing them as antisocial and entitled members of society — Saturday’s celebration showed that younger generations might actually have it all under control.
—
Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 9 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
Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 9 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
-
The sun sets over the bay of Cassis, a charming seaside resort near Marseille, as a young woman gazes toward the horizon.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
9 June 2026
-
One character gazes out and tries to make a decision.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
My wife stares at her for a moment.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
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.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
In the Africa section, the zoo eyes a revamp of the hippo and crocodile habitats and at least one additional exhibit.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
30 May 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Kane considers himself in the same tier as those strikers and said he couldn’t be outdone in his own opener.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 June 2026
-
Graves said law enforcement considers Sanchez-Munoz armed and dangerous.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Fagot observes that, to digital-native children, BBMT’s puppetry may be even more enchanting than for earlier generations.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
-
Sacramento County government also observes Juneteenth.—
Kiara Adams,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Jessie watches through a hole in the box as Emily drives away with her mother, never to be seen again.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
19 June 2026
-
Los Angeles firefighter watches outside the Lineage cold storage facility as a helicopter drops water in Boyle Heights on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
19 June 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
-
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.—
Megan Greenwell,
Bloomberg,
9 June 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Fixates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fixates. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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