fixed idea

noun

1. a persistent or obsessing idea, often delusional, that can, in extreme form, be a symptom of psychosis.

fixed idea

noun

1. an idea, esp one of an obsessional nature, that is persistently maintained and not subject to change Alsoidée fixe

Word History and Origins

Origin of fixed idea¹

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

“The fight against the mine was from people who live in the cities who have a fixed idea of how people who live in the countryside should be living. Having worked with local people for the last 10 years I can tell you that their lives were much better because of the mine.”

From BBC

But what’s very real about this comedy-thriller-love story, which arrives on Netflix on Friday, is that it represents the director’s continued willingness to keep trying new things, to never settle on a fixed idea of the kinds of movies he makes.

From Los Angeles Times

Getting a new view on someone I had such a fixed idea of who or want he was, and this is a way of understanding that.

From Salon

But “love of my life” is a fixed idea, and people are fluid, updating themselves over time.

From Washington Post

“There was a fixed idea that politics is for adults, according to a long-established Confucian culture,” said Noh Woong-rae, 64, a member of the National Assembly.

From New York Times

Related Words

• craving
• craze
• craziness
• enthusiasm
• fad
• fascination
• frenzy
• infatuation
• lunacy
• obsession
• passion
• rage