fixation

American  

[fik-say-shuhn] / fɪkˈseɪ ʃən /

noun

• fixations
  plural

1. the act of fixing or the state of being fixed.

2. Chemistry.

   1. reduction from a volatile or fluid to a stable or solid form.

   2. the process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into a useful compound, as a nitrate fertilizer.

3. Photography. the process of rendering an image permanent by removal of light-sensitive silver halides.

4. Psychoanalysis. a partial arrest of emotional and instinctual development at an early point in life, due to a severe traumatic experience or an overwhelming gratification.

5. a preoccupation with one subject, issue, etc.; obsession.

   All her life she had a fixation on stories of violent death.

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fixation British  

/ fɪkˈseɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of fixing or the state of being fixed

2. a preoccupation or obsession

3. psychol

   1. the act of fixating

   2. (in psychoanalytical schools) a strong attachment of a person to another person or an object in early life

4. chem

   1. the conversion of nitrogen in the air into a compound, esp a fertilizer

   2. the conversion of a free element into one of its compounds

5. the reduction of a substance from a volatile or fluid form to a nonvolatile or solid form

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonfixation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• fixations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fixation

1350–1400; Middle English fixacion < Medieval Latin fixātiōn- (stem of fixātiō ) a reduction to a fixed state. See fix, -ation

Explanation

Fixation is when something is stuck firmly to another surface — or when you mind is stuck obsessively on one person, thing, or idea. Your parents' fixation on healthy foods means fruit for dessert every single night. The Latin root of fixation means "to fasten or fix," and fixation is used in this literal way in technical contexts. A science experiment might involve the fixation of one chemical to another, for example. Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud is responsible for the "obsessive interest" meaning, emphasizing childhood fixations that carry into adulthood. You might see your attachment to your mobile phone as perfectly normal, while your parents consider it an unhealthy fixation.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fixation fixations

Understanding nitrogen fixation has implications far beyond deep-sea environments.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

Yet the fixation on AI leaderboards may be missing the point, according to MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

That fixation with sleep is actually making people's sleep worse, they warn.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

The project sums up the fixation of both Mexican Institute of Sound and Meridian Brothers with analogue archaeology.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

He couldn’t begin to comprehend, now, how far off the track he was with his baptismal fixation.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Donabedian says he’s always watching for Wall Street fixations that move to the back-burner.

From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026

The author’s financial fixations permeate every page of the book.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026

A couple of months ago, she deleted her social media, so she has lost track of Jake’s latest political fixations.

From Slate ● Dec. 5, 2025

Justine’s opening section is the longest, and it showcases the film’s two key fixations: failure and people tip-toeing around peering through cracks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2025

Complaining about Kunu Yaku was just another of the Doctorita’s little fixations, I realized, like knitting Baby Jesus dresses and fretting about thieves and wor- rying about her boys catching germs.

From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau

Related Words

• fascination
• infatuation
• preoccupation