fixated

American

[fik-sey-tid] / ˈfɪk seɪ tɪd /

adjective

Psychoanalysis. arrested in emotional or sexual development.

To me, he still seems stuck at the stage of an orally fixated toddler.
fastened or held in one place.

An unstable dislocation, often due to loose ligaments, is more problematic than the fixated type of joint dislocation.
aimed or directed in one place.

He looked up at me with the fixated stare of a strangled fish.
focused on by the eyes.

Given a constant distance between the two eyes, the location of the fixated point, where the lines of sight of the two eyes meet, can be computed.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of fixate.

Other Word Forms

unfixated adjective

Etymology

Origin of fixated

fixate + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In Pride and Prejudice and its various screen adaptations, Mrs Bennet is portrayed as stressed, emotional, and fixated on marrying off her five daughters.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

Traders and analysts are fixated on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage between Iran and Oman through which 20% of the world’s oil typically flows.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

“I fixated on the trash can,” said Molina.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

As MarketWatch’s Myra P. Saefong reports, oil markets remain fixated on the threat of a U.S. attack on Iran — and this week could provide some clarity on the next move for crude prices.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 24, 2026

Of course I had no idea—Ellie decides about clearancing—but why was Alyssa so fixated on this particular shirt?

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023