fixation

American  

[fik-sey-shuhn] / fɪkˈseɪ ʃən /

noun

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

• nonfixation noun

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

These reveal a fixation on technology and—unusual for a Haring exhibition—an interest in violence absent from his best-known work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

So, the mirrors were frosted, triggering a debate – not just about space, but also Singapore's fixation with orderliness, the low bar for people to complain, and its many, many rules.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

The sea-sourced shining star doesn’t just look good, it has become a fixation.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, speaking at Cactus League media day earlier this month, said the fixation on the money spent makes people miss the things they do well.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

Marie and many of their friends had begun to wonder at the completeness of his fixation.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

Related Words

• fascination
• infatuation
• preoccupation