FIXATING Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

fixating

verb

present participle of fixate

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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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 Next year’s draft is also why there’s no point in fixating on wins and losses this season. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 13 July 2026 This is Leeds taking care of today, rather than fixating on tomorrow and the potential of a player. — David Ornstein, New York Times, 24 June 2026 People are fixating on celebrities of all kinds, accusing singers of body-positive anthems of being hypocritical, rolling their eyes at athletes promoting weight loss drugs and whispering about the thinness of their favorite movie stars. — Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 29 May 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fixating

Verb

But the differences between this and their dreams were staring them in the face.

— Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Bo grinned, staring at the pale-blue walls of the large classroom.

— Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026

Definition of staring

Verb

Ambitious, sustainable beach hotel for coral-gazing and jungle immersion in one of the most remote island groups on the planet.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
Also free are the Los Angeles Astronomical Society’s occasional free star gazing parties, which include one scheduled for July 17.

— Paris Barraza, USA Today, 15 July 2026

Definition of gazing

Verb

Instead, the skin-frying Friday saw common flow of people going through, gawking at the large screens and a group of sailors allowing some passing by to do pull-ups from a bar.

— Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 3 July 2026
The walk to the stadium is a mile or so along the Alaskan Way, where restaurants like the Crab Pot are opening up, but everyone is gawking at the street spectacle.

— Simon Hughes, New York Times, 24 June 2026

Definition of gawking

Verb

The guy in a bar in Houston who, when the cameras found Tom Cruise in the stands watching the USA vs Paraguay, stood and applauded.

— Nick Miller, New York Times, 18 July 2026
This, combined with the sheer horror of many of the crimes committed against the Bowdens, generates a tension in the viewer that makes the unease a young Antosca felt watching the 1962 film feel tame by comparison.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 July 2026

Definition of watching

Verb

The speculation, which comes amid seismic industry consolidation, follows rumors that Netflix was eyeing Lionsgate.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 15 July 2026
The first location debuts in early fall at Queensbridge Collective 📍 (1111 South Tryon), and co-founder Kasia Bednarz already told reporter Jason her team is eyeing Plaza Midwood next.

— Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026

Definition of eyeing

Verb

Aquarius has played host to researchers observing the marine life around them, studying the effects of long term pressure on the human body, learning best practices for remote robotic surgery and even growing food and fungi underwater.

— Alex Harris July 15, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
Meyers has spent the last few months visiting each campus, reviewing data, observing classrooms, and meeting with teachers, students, staff and parents.

— Samuel O’Neal July 15, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026

Definition of observing

Verb

The closure, first announced last fall, ends a 15-year run at the corner of Houston Street and Lafayette Avenue and leaves a gaping void in the New York City outdoor retail landscape.

— Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 16 July 2026
Decapitated, the fairy of Smoking with Oneself (2021–26) puffs a cigarette from the gaping red maw of her throat.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026