fixated

[ fik-sey-tid ]

adjective

1. Psychoanalysis. arrested in emotional or sexual development:

   To me, he still seems stuck at the stage of an orally fixated toddler.

2. fastened or held in one place:

   An unstable dislocation, often due to loose ligaments, is more problematic than the fixated type of joint dislocation.

3. aimed or directed in one place:

   He looked up at me with the fixated stare of a strangled fish.

4. focused on by the eyes:

   Given a constant distance between the two eyes, the location of the fixated point, where the lines of sight of the two eyes meet, can be computed.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of fixate ( def ).

Other Words From

• un·fix·at·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fixated¹

fixate + -ed ²( def )

Example Sentences

Mrs MacDonald agreed that her husband had become fixated about it.

From BBC

Nakedness appears to be something Smyth was fixated on at his camps.

From BBC

When I told them I was there for the ads, they helpfully pointed out that while I was fixated on the ads in front of us, there were even more ads firing off on the TV screen behind me, which was broadcasting Wipeout Xtra.

From Slate

As decision day draws near, many Americans become fixated on their hyperactive social media feeds.

From Los Angeles Times

“He was so fixated with doing the right thing. His sense of justice ran deep,” his aunt told a local newspaper.

From BBC

Related Words

• captivated
• dominated
• haunted
• preoccupied
• troubled