fixation

/fɪksˈeɪʃən/

//fɪksˈeɪʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"fixation" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“fixation” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #20,357. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#20,357
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
12
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act of fixing.

Corpus desk

Index EN-fixation · fixation · English

fixation · rank #20,357 · 12 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #20,357
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH firepower

Nearest frequency peer: firepower (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “fixation”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “fixation” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

fixation vs fiction
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for fixation
PropertyValue
Headwordfixation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/fɪksˈeɪʃən/
Letters8
Frequency rank#20,357
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “fixation”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).fixationlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “firepower” (#20,356), “flanked” (#20,358), “flatter” (#20,359). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “fixation” is #20,357. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around fixation (IPA /fɪksˈeɪʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #20,357 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 12 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for fixation, with forms such as "ffixation", "fiaxtion", and "fixaiton". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "fiction", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French fixation. By surface analysis, fix + -ation. The correct English form is fixation, spelled F-I-X-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of fixing.
  2. 2
    The state of being fixed or fixated.
  3. 3
    The act of uniting chemically with a solid substance or in a solid form; reduction to a non-volatile condition; -- said of volatile elements.
  4. 4
    The act or process of ceasing to be fluid and becoming firm.
  5. 5
    In metals, a state of resistance to evaporation or volatilization by heat.
  6. 6
    A state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea, or thing.
  7. 7
    A state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea, or thing.
  8. 8
    Recording a creative work in a medium of expression for more than a transitory duration, thereby satisfying the "fixation" requirement for the purposes of copyright law.
  9. 9
    The change in a gene pool from a situation where there exists at least two variants of a particular gene (allele) to a situation where only one of the alleles remains.
  10. 10
    preservation of biological tissues from decay due to autolysis or putrefaction.
  11. 11
    process by which an injury is rendered immobile.
  12. 12
    maintaining of the gaze on a single location.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how fixation appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Increasingly it is being realised that a modern conurbation's transport problems cannot be solved if there is a fixation on profit and loss in public transport—[...].
  2. In order to obtain copyright on a recording in the United States, the recording must have been reduced to fixation on or after February 15, 1972.

Etymology

From Old French fixation. By surface analysis, fix + -ation.

Synonyms

fixedness

Antonyms

movementchange

This word in other languages

fijación(Español)fixation(Français)Fixierung(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ffixation
  • fiaxtion
  • fixaiton
  • fixasion
  • fixatino
  • fixationn
  • fixatoin
  • fixattion
  • fixtaion
  • fixxation
  • fxiation
  • ifxation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of fixation - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ffixation1fiaxtion2fixaiton2fixasion1fixatino2fixationn1fixatoin2fixattion1
Edit distance from "fixation"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "fixation"?
"fixation" is spelled F-I-X-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /fɪksˈeɪʃən/.
What does "fixation" mean?
As a noun, "fixation" means: The act of fixing.
What words are commonly confused with "fixation"?
"fixation" is commonly confused with "fiction". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "fixation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fixation" is /fɪksˈeɪʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "fixation"?
From Old French fixation. By surface analysis, fix + -ation. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "fixation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

gruesome#20,371dialysis#20,335Hinduism#20,380Holloway#20,384

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

encompass12 variantsemptiness12 variantsharshly12 variantsHezbollah12 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list