Tom has a strange fixation to potato salad.
Source: tatoeba (6583696)
Fixation
/fɪksˈeɪʃən/
Synonyms for "fixation" (139 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (28)
Noun(6 words)
anchoragearrestarrestationarrested developmentarrestmentblockadeblockageblockingcheckcloggingclosing upclosurecolonizationcomplexcompulsionconfirmationconstrictioncrampcrazedeep-rootedness
Show 2 more words
Strong matches (42)
detainmentdetentionembedmententrenchmentestablishmentfascinationfather fixationfetishfixed ideafixednessfixityfixturefoot draggingfoot-draggingfoundationfreudian fixationhamperinghang uphang-uphindering
Show 12 more words
hindranceholdbackholduphypercathexisidee fixeimmobilityimpedimentimplantationinactioninactivityinaugurationinfantile fixation
Noun(10 words)
Related words (69)
infatuationinfixioninhibitioninitiationinstallationinstallmentinterferenceinterruptioninvestitureinveteracyirresistible impulsekickletlibido fixationlifelodgmentmaniamonomaniamooringmorbid drive
Show 37 more words
mother fixationmotionlessnessnegativismnuisance valueobsessionobsessive compulsionobstructionobstructionismocclusionoppositionparent fixationpeoplingplantationpopulationpossessionpregenital fixationpreoccupationprepossessionregressionrepressionresistancerestraintrestrictionretardationretardmentretreat to immaturityruling passionsetbacksettlementsettlingsqueezestabilizationstrangleholdstricturesuppressionthingtic
Noun(11 words)
mountingmountingsobsessingobsessionspreoccupationpreoccupationspreservationregressionromanian imobilizasecuringtissue preservation
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: obsession, anchorage, arrest, arrestation, arrested development.
- Sentence evidence is available for fixation, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "fixation".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "fixation"
Keep "fixation" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "fixation" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "fixation", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "fixation" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
13 entriesabnormalcyabnormalityattachmentbiochemical processfasteningmental statemetabolic processpreoccupationpreservationpsychological processsample preparationsecuringstabilization
More specific
11 entrieschemical fixationchemoautotrophic carbon fixationethanol fixationformalin fixationglutaraldehyde fixationinterpersonal fixationmechanical fixationnarcissistic fixationoral fixationphotosynthetic carbon fixationscrew fixation
Collocations
6 entriescarbon fixationfixation methodfixation pointfixation processfixation timetissue fixation
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
4 entriesTranslations
17 translations across 10 languages.
Catalan
1 entries- fixació noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
Finnish
1 entries- fiksaatio noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
French
1 entries- fixation noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
Greek
1 entries- προσήλωση noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
Indonesian
1 entries- fiksasi noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
Irish
2 entries- fosúchán noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
- greamú noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
Plautdietsch
1 entries- Besätenheit noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
Polish
1 entries- fiksacja noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
Russian
2 entries- навя́зчивая иде́я noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
- одержи́мость noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
Spanish
4 entries- afán noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
- chaladura noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
- chifladera noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
- chifladura noun (a state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea or thing)
Sample sentences
11 total sentences available.
Tom has a fixation on his mother.
Source: tatoeba (9311601)
He's got a fixation.
Source: tatoeba (10635931)
Has Tom got a fixation on you?
Source: tatoeba (10757557)
Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "fixation"?
Closest matches include obsession, anchorage, arrest, arrestation, arrested development.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "fixation"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.