in a fix
In trouble. Stuck in a mess you need help getting out of.
Also called in a bad fix.
Updated September 24, 2026
in a fix pronunciation
/in uh FIX/
Meaning
If you are in a fix, something went sideways and you are jammed up. Money, a broken truck, a bad choice, a sticky spot with the law or the neighbors. A bad fix is worse. Southern talk uses it plenty, right alongside other senses of fix like fixin' to and fixing supper.
How folks use it
- “I'm in a fix. The trailer hitch broke halfway home.”
- “She got herself in a fix promising both of them the same weekend.”
Origin and etymology
American English from the early 1800s. Fix as a noun for a tough spot. The phrase stuck hard in Southern speech, where fix already does a lot of work as a verb too.
Frequently asked questions
Is in a fix the same as fixin' to?
No. In a fix means you are in trouble. Fixin' to means you are about to do something.