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Synonyms

fixer

American  
[fik-ser] / ˈfɪk sər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that fixes, sets, adjusts, or repairs.

  2. Informal.

    1. a person who arranges matters in advance, or acts as a liaison.

      The film crew hired a fixer for the foreign location shoot.

    2. a person who neutralizes problems for another, as for an individual or organization whose reputation is threatened by past misdeeds or conflicts, often through bribery or influence.

      The agent also worked as a fixer for several movie stars, keeping sex scandals and drug arrests out of the tabloids.

  3. Informal. fixer-upper.

  4. Photography. fixative.

  5. Slang. a person who sells narcotics to addicts.

fixer British  
/ ˈfɪksə /

noun

  1. a person or thing that fixes

  2. photog a solution containing one or more chemical compounds that is used, in fixing, to dissolve unexposed silver halides. It sometimes has an additive to stop the action of developer

  3. slang a person who makes arrangements, esp by underhand or illegal means

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of fixer

First recorded in 1840–50; fix + -er 1

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.

“I’m the best fixer in Washington, period. Full stop,” said the 48-year-old Iowan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Ting-Wei Sun was described in the filing as a "fixer" who worked with others to conceal the scheme.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

“At its center is Beast Mode: the 510’s legendary fixer and freelance sleuth whose rough exterior hides a code of loyalty and willingness to deal with problems others won’t touch,” the release reads.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria generate an enzyme called nitrogenase, sometimes referred to as the "fixer" because it carries out nitrogen fixation.

From Science Daily • Nov. 24, 2025

To defend John Ramsey, Roan’s alleged shooter, Hale hired an attorney named Jim Springer, who was known as a fixer.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.