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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Recent Examples of anal
Mucosal irritation: Preservatives commonly used in personal lubricants, called parabens, can cause vaginal and anal irritation in people with sensitive skin.
—
Md Published, Verywell Health, 6 June 2025
There are also two internal attachments: one for vaginal use and the other for anal use.
—Amanda Chatel, Wired News, 24 June 2025
Jordan was diagnosed with stage 4 anal cancer that has spread to her lungs and the lymph nodes around her pelvis.
—Johnny Dodd, People.com, 26 May 2025
Rectal bleeding: Minor rectal bleeding is possible if a hard stool causes any anal fissures (small tears) in the rectal lining.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anal
Md Published, Verywell Health, 6 June 2025
There are also two internal attachments: one for vaginal use and the other for anal use.
—Amanda Chatel, Wired News, 24 June 2025
Jordan was diagnosed with stage 4 anal cancer that has spread to her lungs and the lymph nodes around her pelvis.
—Johnny Dodd, People.com, 26 May 2025
Rectal bleeding: Minor rectal bleeding is possible if a hard stool causes any anal fissures (small tears) in the rectal lining.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anal
Adjective
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The ultralight backpacking movement, born from obsessive thru-hikers and eventually widely adopted by weekend warriors, has driven innovation in the outdoor gear industry for more than 20 years.—
Scott Gilbertson,
Wired News,
16 July 2025
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President Trump’s most vociferous media supporters have been in a full meltdown over the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, an obsessive focus of MAGA figures over the years.—
The Editors,
National Review,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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But Galkin is adamant that because their focus was always the victims, Kohberger’s plea deal only changed one thing.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
11 July 2025
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The call came on what was the hottest day of the year in the U.K., but staff were adamant Moo needed picking up, much to Ford's mild annoyance.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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For example, in sales, if a customer wants a certain number of licenses but has a strict budget, an agent can help figure out the best deal by looking at things like license count, budget limits and different contract lengths (like one-, two- or three-year terms).—
Ian Gotts,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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Anna Marson, a former Tuscany regional minister who now teaches urban planning at a university in Venice, was closely involved in putting forward a plan to impose stricter environmental regulations on the region’s marble quarries in 2014.—
Meara Sharma,
The Dial,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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