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 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 Like Rear Window, Dial M for Murder fixates on the intersections between romance, paranoia, and curiosity. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fixates

Verb

Martin’s most poignant moment all season is her inscrutable look as Raskova gazes between Anastasia and Sasha; two people sacrificing themselves for love is unfathomable to her.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 July 2026
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

Definition of gazes

Verb

Erez picks it up, stares through the crosshairs, as a voice on the phone instructs them how to aim and shoot.

— Marisa Fox, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2026
Batman stares intensely at the camera, and the film’s logo appears, followed by the new release date, which is set for February 18, 2028, up from its previous release date of October 1, 2027.

— Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 15 July 2026

Definition of stares

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

Definition of eyes

Verb

Within the laws of quantum mechanics, the results are not fixed until someone observes them.

— Aldo Romero, The Conversation, 15 July 2026
The film cuts to a crematorium, where a child observes a shelf full of urns for people whose remains were never picked up by their relatives.

— Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 11 July 2026

Definition of observes

Verb

In the song, the child watches strangers come and pray for his mother, and other strangers carry her away to be buried, but none pay attention to him.

— Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2026
My first morning in Athens, at the hotel pool, an older woman watches me dip my toes into the icy water.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026