as in staring
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 fixating
Trump began fixating on beef prices last fall, proposing in October 2025 to increase Argentine beef imports, drawing pushback from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and Republican senators from cattle states.
—
Alicia Park, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Rather than fixating on what was lost or what could come next, Park made a conscious decision to focus on what was in front of her.
—Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 11 May 2026
But Adams had a habit of fixating on his mistakes.
—New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
Perhaps, then, fixating on the ground rules, like Nelson did, isn’t the right approach.
—Quanta Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026
Worrying about chip speed is like fixating on a car’s horsepower; most people will never even come close to needing maximum power or speed.
—Larry Magid, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Hormendy also cautioned the media about fixating on distraction.
—Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
No surprise, then, that Kim is initially skeptical of Sean’s conspiracy theories, assuming her aimless husband to be fixating on trivial nonsense.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026
Parasocially fixating on microcelebrities who want their money.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2026
Alicia Park, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Rather than fixating on what was lost or what could come next, Park made a conscious decision to focus on what was in front of her.
—Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 11 May 2026
But Adams had a habit of fixating on his mistakes.
—New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
Perhaps, then, fixating on the ground rules, like Nelson did, isn’t the right approach.
—Quanta Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026
Worrying about chip speed is like fixating on a car’s horsepower; most people will never even come close to needing maximum power or speed.
—Larry Magid, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Hormendy also cautioned the media about fixating on distraction.
—Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
No surprise, then, that Kim is initially skeptical of Sean’s conspiracy theories, assuming her aimless husband to be fixating on trivial nonsense.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026
Parasocially fixating on microcelebrities who want their money.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fixating
Verb
-
Instead, The Mandalorian and Grogu is staring at a third-place finish behind writer-director Curry Barker’s Obsession.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2026
-
Shaina laid on her cot all night, staring at the ceiling, processing all the ways her life was changing.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Navel-gazing cinema about the creative process isn’t usually my bag, but Almodóvar doesn’t take his own misery that seriously, even inserting a manic pixie dream hunk, a male stripper-slash-firefighter played by Patrick Criado, for a little bump and grind.—
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
-
Marisa Anderson’s latest album of epic, horizon-gazing guitar compositions pulls from an international songbook that includes work from Afghanistan, Vietnam, Yemen, and Cambodia.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
This seemingly reflexive action of whipping out their phones while gawking and filming isn’t a novel occurrence.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 May 2026
-
Those are important characteristics for advertisers seeking to make dynamic campaigns for an audience that's grown accustomed to viewing short-form videos on Reels or gawking at cat photos on Facebook and Instagram.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Cruising thousands of feet above the ground, peering out of the airplane window at the world below, and pinpointing all of the green football, baseball and soccer fields sprawled below.—
Shaun Goodwin
May 25,
Idaho Statesman,
25 May 2026
-
Qassem and Ali moved through every room, peering into corners, opening doors.—
Rania Abouzeid,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
Verb
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Jocytė had her first full practice with the Valkyries on Sunday, after watching from the sidelines during Golden State’s recent two-game road trip.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
-
Come for sunset, order the signature mai tai, and settle in for one of the best people-watching spots in Waikiki.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Tuner, Black Bear’s fourth release since launching a domestic distribution arm last summer, had a nice $102k opening at 4 theaters in NY and LA and is eyeing $122k for the four-day holiday weekend including.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
24 May 2026
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King had been eyeing up the establishment for over 25 years, no doubt for that blend of grandeur and history.—
Ming Liu,
Robb Report,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Then be sure to read our picks of the best telescopes and binoculars for exploring the night sky, along with our beginner's guide to observing the moon!—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
29 May 2026
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The development of this model came from observing a recurring gap.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The depth, accuracy and topspin act as the last push, off the cliff and into the gaping ravine below.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
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This year, dozens of Bay Area school districts have announced layoffs, budget cuts or school closures in an effort to repair gaping budget deficits ranging from $6 million to over $100 million.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fixating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fixating. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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