as in obsessive
extremely or overly neat, careful, or precise
I've always been anal about arranging my books alphabetically by author.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of anal
Sitz baths, done by soaking the anal area in warm water, may provide comfort and reduce itching in the anal area.
—
Qin Rao, Verywell Health, 18 Oct. 2024
All anal toys should have a flared base as a safety precaution.
—Amanda Chatel, Glamour, 25 Feb. 2025
Lorain police obtained two warrants to force doctors to search a suspect’s anal cavity.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2025
Hartman acts as Gene, who is... well, anal retentive.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anal
Qin Rao, Verywell Health, 18 Oct. 2024
All anal toys should have a flared base as a safety precaution.
—Amanda Chatel, Glamour, 25 Feb. 2025
Lorain police obtained two warrants to force doctors to search a suspect’s anal cavity.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2025
Hartman acts as Gene, who is... well, anal retentive.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anal
Adjective
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The chef, Travis Lett, was obsessive about nearly everything—produce, sourcing, seasonality, herbs, spices, the chewiness of a hunk of sourdough or a pizza crust—and this obsessiveness resulted in a restaurant that was more or less flawless.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2025
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According to those close to Selena, Saldívar began to show obsessive behavior.—
Kelsie Gibson,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Paul has been adamant that the tariffs won’t help the U.S. His frustration with the tariffs came as seven GOP senators signed on to a bipartisan bill that sought to have Congressional oversight over the president’s tariffs.—
Lauren Irwin,
The Hill,
9 Apr. 2025
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The 12-time Emmy award-winner was also adamant about sharing her cancer journey with her audience—hoping that her experience might offer support and guidance to others facing similar challenges.—
Joanne Fowler,
People.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Augusta National Golf Club, where the tournament takes place each April, has a strict no cell phone and cameras rule during the four days of official competition.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
18 Apr. 2025
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So Read, a 56-year-old sexologist and writer based in Calgary, Canada, developed a strict sleep and bedtime routine.—
Erica Sweeney,
SELF,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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