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?
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 fixating
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
He’s haunted by the specter of aging — apparent in Styles’s fixating on wellness in interviews and roasting his own hairline on Brittany Broski’s Royal Court — and has hinted at private anguish over the death of One Direction’s Liam Payne.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Oral care has focused almost entirely on fluoride for decades, Hoss said, but fixating on any single ingredient misses the real drivers of oral health.
—Andrea Kane, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
And one detail everyone is fixating on is Brooklyn Beckham’s claim that his mom, Victoria Beckham, danced inappropriately with him during his wedding to Nicola Peltz.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 22 Jan. 2026
The benefit only kicks in when sensitivity is accompanied by the capacity for processing and moving on without fixating on the information.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Your task in 2026 is to stop fixating on how money will come and start embodying the version of yourself who already has it.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 23 Dec. 2025
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
He’s haunted by the specter of aging — apparent in Styles’s fixating on wellness in interviews and roasting his own hairline on Brittany Broski’s Royal Court — and has hinted at private anguish over the death of One Direction’s Liam Payne.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Oral care has focused almost entirely on fluoride for decades, Hoss said, but fixating on any single ingredient misses the real drivers of oral health.
—Andrea Kane, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
And one detail everyone is fixating on is Brooklyn Beckham’s claim that his mom, Victoria Beckham, danced inappropriately with him during his wedding to Nicola Peltz.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 22 Jan. 2026
The benefit only kicks in when sensitivity is accompanied by the capacity for processing and moving on without fixating on the information.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Your task in 2026 is to stop fixating on how money will come and start embodying the version of yourself who already has it.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 23 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fixating
Verb
-
Up on their hind legs, sitting around me, staring at me.—
Sabienna Bowman,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
-
After staring at the dog for 90 seconds, Green went back into his apartment and then threw a cutting board at the dog.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Additional photos showed the couple sharing their first kiss as newlyweds, exchanging wedding rings and the two gazing lovingly at each other as a wedding officiant stood between them.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
-
With the city’s famous landmark, Christ the Redeemer, gazing down on the fleet in Guanabara Bay, skipper Taylor Canfield had the Americans in solid position after one day of racing.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
On a typical day, the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale reverberates with animal cries and the footfalls of gawking visitors.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Rest and relaxation are otherwise encouraged via the design itself, from the warm woods that wrap around the place to the open design that prioritizes open spaces for roaming, lots of windows for peering outside, and a bathroom with a massive tub for taking a good long soak.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Then, while Louise was peering through the letterbox, our mother alighted from the back of a black cab.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Police wrote in the report that officers could not determine by watching the footage if Saint Remy was struck by the car.—
Updated April 20,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2026
-
In addition to those watching in person, many more will be following along from home.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Once the party ends and the hard work resumes, the production sector will be eyeing potential changes under Magyar.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Pritzker, a billionaire Hyatt Hotels heir seeking a rare third term as governor in November and eyeing a bid for the White House in 2028, made two contributions to Illinois Future PAC totaling $5 million in late February and early March, according to Federal Election Commission records.—
Dan Petrella,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Leaving it all behind for a few days and carrying everything on my back reminded me that the best way to connect with nature is by simplifying, listening and observing what’s around us.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Finding a new purpose Ibukun-Okeyode spent much of the 2025 season still with the team, observing practice from the sidelines, often in a neck brace.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Taking a character off of TV’s hottest comedy at the time would leave a gaping hole, or risk ruining a side character who couldn’t hold a show of their own.—
Jennifer Armstrong,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Findlay's always a little nervous that if Marathon left it would leave a gaping hole in our community.—
Dean Narciso,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fixating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fixating. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
