fix

American  

[fiks] / fɪks /

verb (used with object)

• fixes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• fixed,
  past participle,  past
• fixt,
  past participle,  past (Archaic)
• fixing
  present participle

1. to repair; mend.

   Synonyms:

   amend, correct

2. to put in order or in good condition; adjust or arrange.

   She fixed her hair in a bun.

3. to make fast, firm, or stable.

   Synonyms:

   stabilize, secure, fasten

4. to place definitely and more or less permanently.

   to fix a circus poster to a wall.

   Synonyms:

   stabilize, secure, fasten

5. to settle definitely; determine.

   to fix a price.

   Synonyms:

   define, establish

6. to direct (the eyes, the attention, etc.) steadily.

   His eyes were fixed on the distant ship.

7. to attract and hold (the eye, the attention, etc.).

8. to make set or rigid.

9. to put into permanent form.

10. to put or place (responsibility, blame, etc.) on a person.

11. to assign or refer to a definite place, time, etc.

12. to provide or supply with (something needed or wanted).

    How are you fixed for money?

13. Informal. to arrange or influence the outcome or action of, especially privately or dishonestly.

    to fix a jury; to fix a game.

14. to get (a meal); prepare (food).

    What time shall I fix supper?

15. Informal. to put in a condition or position to make no further trouble.

16. Informal. to get even with; get revenge upon.

    I'll fix him!

17. Informal. to castrate or spay (an animal, especially a pet).

18. Chemistry.

    1. to make stable in consistency or condition; reduce from fluidity or volatility to a more stable state.

    2. to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a useful compound, as a nitrate fertilizer.

19. Photography. to render (an image) permanent by removing light-sensitive silver halides.

20. Microscopy. to kill, make rigid, and preserve for microscopic study.

---

verb (used without object)

• fixes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• fixed,
  past participle,  past
• fixt,
  past participle,  past (Archaic)
• fixing
  present participle

1. to become fixed.

2. to become set; assume a rigid or solid form.

3. to become stable or permanent.

4. to settle down.

5. Slang. to inject oneself with a narcotic.

6. Chiefly Southern U.S. to prepare; plan (usually followed by an infinitive).

   I was just fixing to call you. We're fixing to go to Colorado this summer.

noun

• fixes
  plural

1. Informal. a position from which it is difficult to escape; predicament.

   Synonyms:

   quandary, plight, dilemma

2. Informal. a repair, adjustment, or solution, usually of an immediate nature.

   Can you think of a fix for the problem?

3. Navigation.

   1. a charted position of a vessel or aircraft, determined by two or more bearings taken on landmarks, heavenly bod-ies, etc.

   2. the determining of the position of a ship, plane, etc., by mathematical, electronic, or other means.

      The navigator took a fix on the sun and steered the ship due north.

4. a clear determination.

   Can you get a fix on what he really means?

5. Slang.

   1. an injection of heroin or other narcotic.

   2. the narcotic or amount of narcotic injected.

   3. a compulsively sought dose or infusion of something.

      to need one's daily fix of soap operas on TV.

6. Slang.

   1. an underhand or illegal arrangement, especially one secured through bribery or influence.

   2. a contest, situation, etc., whose outcome is prearranged dishonestly.

verb phrase

1. fix on / upon to decide on; determine.

   We won't be able to fix on a location for the banquet until we know the number of guests.

2. fix up

   1. to arrange for.

      to fix up a date.

   2. to provide with; furnish.

   3. to repair; renew.

   4. to smooth over; solve.

      They weren't able to fix up their differences.

idioms

1. fix one's wagon, to exact retribution for an offense; treat someone vengefully.

   I'll dock his pay and that will fix his wagon.

2. in a fix, pregnant.

fix British  

/ fɪks /

verb

1. (also intr) to make or become firm, stable, or secure

2. to attach or place permanently

   fix the mirror to the wall

3. (often foll by up) to settle definitely; decide

   let us fix a date

4. to hold or direct (eyes, attention, etc) steadily

   he fixed his gaze on the woman

5. to call to attention or rivet

6. to make rigid

   to fix one's jaw

7. to place or ascribe

   to fix the blame on someone

8. to mend or repair

9. informal to provide with

   how are you fixed for supplies?

10. informal to influence (a person, outcome of a contest, etc) unfairly, as by bribery

11. slang to take revenge on; get even with, esp by killing

12. informal to give (someone) his just deserts

    that'll fix him

13. informal to arrange or put in order

    to fix one's hair

14. informal to prepare

    to fix a meal

15. dialect to spay or castrate (an animal)

16. dialect to prepare oneself

    I'm fixing to go out

17. photog to treat (a film, plate, or paper) with fixer to make permanent the image rendered visible by developer

18. cytology to kill, preserve, and harden (tissue, cells, etc) for subsequent microscopic study

19. 1. to convert (atmospheric nitrogen) into nitrogen compounds, as in the manufacture of fertilizers or the action of bacteria in the soil

    2. to convert (carbon dioxide) into organic compounds, esp carbohydrates, as occurs in photosynthesis in plants and some microorganisms

20. to reduce (a substance) to a solid or condensed state or a less volatile state

21. slang (intr) to inject a drug

---

noun

1. informal a predicament; dilemma

2. the ascertaining of the navigational position, as of a ship, by radar, observation, etc

3. slang an intravenous injection of a drug, esp heroin

4. informal an act or instance of bribery

fix Scientific  

/ fĭks /

1. To convert inorganic carbon or nitrogen into stable, organic compounds that can be assimilated into organisms. Photosynthetic organisms such as green plants fix carbon in carbohydrates as food; certain bacteria fix nitrogen as ammonia that can be absorbed directly or through nitrification by plant roots.

2. See more at carbon fixation nitrogen fixation

3. To convert a substance, especially a gas, into solid or liquid form by chemical reactions.

4. To kill and preserve a tissue specimen rapidly to retain as nearly as possible the characteristics it had in the living body.

---

fix More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing fix

• get a fix
• get a fix on
• if it ain't broke don't fix it
• in a fix

---

Usage

Fix meaning “to repair” appears to have been used first in America, but it is long established and has been used in England since the early 19th century: The engineer quickly fixed the faulty valve. The verb use is fully standard in all varieties of speech and writing, and objections to it on the grounds of style merely reflect personal prejudice, not the practice of educated speakers and writers. The noun fix meaning “repair, adjustment” is informal. Fix ( to ) meaning “to prepare, plan (to)” is another Americanism: We're fixing to go to town. It once occurred in all the eastern coastal states, but it is now chiefly an informal spoken form in the South Midland and South.

Synonym Usage

Fix, establish imply making firm or permanent. To fix is to fasten in position securely or to make more or less permanent against change, especially something already existing: to fix a bayonet on a gun; fix a principle in one's mind. To establish is to make firm or permanent something (usually newly) originated, created, or ordained: to establish a business, a claim to property.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• fixability
  noun
• overfix
  verb
• refix
  verb (used with object)
• fixable
  adjective
• unfixable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• fixes
  plural

Participles

• fixing
  present
• fixed
  past
• fixt
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• fix
  simple
• fixes
  simple
• have fixed
  perfect
• have fixt
  perfect
• has fixed
  perfect
• has fixt
  perfect
• am fixing
  progressive
• are fixing
  progressive
• is fixing
  progressive
• have been fixing
  perfect progressive
• has been fixing
  perfect progressive

Past

• fixed
  simple
• fixt
  simple
• had fixed
  perfect
• had fixt
  perfect
• was fixing
  progressive
• were fixing
  progressive
• had been fixing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will fix
  simple
• will have fixed
  perfect
• will have fixt
  perfect
• will be fixing
  progressive
• will have been fixing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of fix

First recorded in 1350–1400; (verb) Middle English fixen, from Middle French fixer or Medieval Latin fixāre, derivative of Latin fixus “fixed,” past participle of fīgere “to fasten”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fix fixes fixed fixt fixing

The center-right Paz, who took office in November with a mandate to fix a severe fuel and currency crisis, named economist Christian Morales to replace ousted Jose Gabriel Espinoza.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

"You can fix your car, but you won't get your life back," says one police force in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

For all his faults, Mr. Obama never wavered in his view that there is nothing wrong with America that democracy can’t fix.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

The owner of your team also owns another business facing a big legal problem that requires billions to fix.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

“I already tried to fix it. I only made it worse.”

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Raman added that the council will continue to monitor data from the program and make fixes as needed if it doesn’t move fast enough.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026

Lucy Qin, a postdoc at Georgetown University who researches privacy, pushed back against this framing: “Shorter-term fixes can band-aid the immediate problem but do not address a long-term pattern,” she said.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

For Leon Berkers, whose restaurant boat has been stuck in the mud for more than a month, adaptation has so far meant improvising fixes to keep "pots and pans from flying around."

From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026

Our auto columnist Dan Neil says the redesign fixes a few of the biggest hybrid annoyances while demonstrating that improved fuel economy doesn’t mean sacrificing performance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

He only stands in the hall and fixes Marco with a cool grey stare.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Before May, he was a businessman who would drive around his home city of Wakefield wishing the potholes could be fixed.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Millions have shifted onto fixed tariffs, with 35% of billpayers on such a deal.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

This 30% standard, adopted in the 1980s, doesn’t account for many financial obligations today’s households deal with, including student-debt payments and other large, fixed expenses, such as childcare.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

“As soon as we were notified, by Benn’s YouTube video, we immediately fixed the problem,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

The cub’s eyes were fixed on the darkness: ears rigid, hackles raised.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

While Scott was reading, the sage grimalkin already mentioned had taken his seat in a chair beside the fire, and remained with fixt eye and grave demeanor, as if listening to the reader.

From The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to Prose, Vol. IX (of X) - America - I by Henry Cabot Lodge

It is said that Peggy, on hearing this, stopt washing the plate she had in her hands, and twisting the towel around her fingers, fixt her small pale blue eyes on the lawyer.

From The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to Prose, Vol. X (of X) - America - II, Index by Henry Cabot Lodge

Why do those Eyes, Loves Tapers, that on whomsoe'er they are fixt, kindle straight Desire, now seem to Nod, and Wink, and hardly Glimmer in their Sockets?

From The Female Wits by Anonymous

On Umá's rounded arm the woollen band Was fixt securely by the nurse's hand.

From The Birth of the War-God A Poem by Kalidasa by Kalidasa

Two young persons, neighbors of opulent families, had been long betrothed, and the marriage-day had been fixt for Sunday, the fatal 4th of November.

From The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to Prose, Vol. X (of X) - America - II, Index by Henry Cabot Lodge

"I used to drive through the streets and think we should be doing this, we should be doing that - fixing potholes, improving the roads, stuff that matters to people."

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Not fixing a problem until a disaster forces you to is known in the airline industry as “tombstone regulation”: They don’t change the regulations, and fix a known problem, until planes crash and people die.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

American drone operators lack experience fixing and arming drones under fire, said the person present at the exercise.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

A woman has criticised Anglian Water for imposing a hosepipe ban while not fixing a water leak that she had reported "weeks ago".

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Mama was fixing breakfast and Daisy was setting the table.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

• define
• establish
• limit
• resolve
• set
• settle
• solve
• specify
• work out