What does "fixer" mean?
Agent noun of fix: one who, or that which, fixes.
Fixer
noun, slang
noun, slang ·2 syllables ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Agent noun of fix: one who, or that which, fixes.
- Grammar: fixer is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: repairer, broker, cobbler, developer.
- Useful contrasts: damager, dismantler, hindrance.
- Usage evidence: He is an excellent fixer, and has always been regarded as such.
How to use "fixer"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "fixer" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "fixer" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "fixer" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "fixer" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "fixer" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "repairer" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "fixer", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Agent noun of fix: one who, or that which, fixes. agent, form-of
- 2 synthetic narcotic drug similar to morphine but less habit-forming; used in narcotic detoxification and maintenance of heroin addiction wordnet
- 3 A chemical (sodium thiosulfate) used in photographic development that fixes the image in place, preventing further chemical reactions.
"The fixer removes the undeveloped silver salts from the film, rendering it no longer sensitive to light. Pour the fixer — at a temperature within plus or minus 5° F of the developer's — into the tank, using the amount specified by the tank directions. Agitate with ten inversions initially and then for 10 seconds out of every minute for the remainder of the fixing time. The fixing time is not as critical as the developing lime, but stay within the time range suggested in the fixer directions."
- 4 someone who intervenes with authorities for a person in trouble (usually using underhand or illegal methods for a fee) wordnet
- 5 A person who serves as an agent to arrange for a desired result, perhaps by improper and/or unlawful means.
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 a skilled worker who mends or repairs things wordnet
- 7 Someone who is often paid that helps a customer cut through red tape, especially for government processes or applications. Philippines, broadly
- 8 a chemical compound that sets or fixes something (as a dye or a photographic image) wordnet
- 9 A person who arranges immunity for defendants by tampering with the justice system via bribery or extortion, especially as a business endeavor for profit.
"A professional bank robber commented on this [a point in the thief's memoir]: 'Perhaps the author means by this that the fixer with whom he is acquainted works only on crimes not involving violence. It is true that there are specialists even in the fix line, and a man who has an in [in = advantageous position] to fix con cases might not be able to fix robbery cases. But if the author means that the fix does not exist in armed robbery, he is badly mistaken. It is merely a matter of knowing the right party to go to.'"
- 10 A person who assists foreign journalists in volatile countries, often providing interpretation, personal connections, and transportation services.
"Yet at the same time, this is also the source of what journalists see as one of the major risks involved in dependence on the fixer: the fixer may determine, to some extent, what the journalist sees. It is at this point that differences between journalists become apparent in the interviews – they give different evaluations of the risks. Clearly, this is a point of tension in their understanding of the situation: the prime positive qualities of the fixer are also the potentially negative ones."
- 11 A fixer-upper. US
- 12 A drug dealer or user. slang
"He'd say things like, “Now, I don’t want you in Harlem!” He was afraid I'd meet the wrong people in Harlem; fixers, junkies, people like that."
Antonyms
Example
"He is an excellent fixer, and has always been regarded as such."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "fixer"?
Common synonyms include: repairer, broker, cobbler, developer, doctor, dolophine hydrochloride.
How do you use "fixer" in a sentence?
He is an excellent fixer, and has always been regarded as such.
Etymology
From fix + -er.