# fixation

/fɪkˈseɪʃən/ (US) · /fɪksˈeɪʃən/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fixation
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

an unhealthy or very strong interest in someone or something that you cannot stop thinking about. It is like being stuck on one idea or person.

For teachers: an obsessive or unhealthy preoccupation with a specific person, object, or idea. Often used in psychological contexts to describe a failure to progress beyond a particular stage of development.

## Examples

- He has a strange fixation on old clocks.
- The media's fixation on the celebrity's private life often overshadowed her professional achievements.
- The architect's career was defined by a lifelong fixation on natural light, leading to structures that prioritized glass and open spaces over traditional solid walls.

## Pitfalls

- Not "his fixation for the game" but "his fixation on the game" — Fixation typically collocates with 'on' or 'with', not 'for'.

## Usage notes

- Often takes the preposition 'on' or 'with' to indicate the object of interest.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.