anal
adjective
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Definition of anal
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : of, relating to, situated near, or involving the anus an anal fin
2 psychoanalytic theory
a : of, relating to, characterized by, or being the stage of psychosexual development which follows the oral stage (see oral entry 1 sense 3) and during which the child is concerned especially with his or her feces
b : of, relating to, characterized by, or being personality traits (such as parsimony, meticulousness, and ill humor) considered typical of fixation at the anal stage of development : anal-retentive an anal disposition —often used in nontechnical contexts to describe someone as extremely or excessively neat, careful, or precise I have a mania for neatness in some matters that is almost anal.— Joseph Heller
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adverb
Examples of anal in a Sentence
Adjective
He can be pretty anal about keeping his office neat.Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Those who have more advanced anal cancer might notice swollen lymph nodes in their groin. — Korin Miller, SELF, "‘Desperate Housewives’ Star Marcia Cross Reveals She’s in Recovery After Anal Cancer Treatment," 28 Sep. 2018 The drawings — made on plastic plates — show a man hanging naked from chains while he is being subjected to electric shocks, another inmate on the floor surrounded by snarling dogs as several people kick him, and graphic depictions of anal rape. — Maggie Michael, Fox News, "In Yemen, 46 detainees released from UAE-controlled prison," 4 July 2018 With vaginal deliveries, there is a real possibility not only of vaginal tearing, but pelvic floor problems that can manifest as urinary incontinence, anal sphincter injury and fecal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse. — Kavin Senapathy, SELF, "Giving Birth Made Me Question the Informed Consent Process During Childbirth," 14 May 2018 The drawings — made on plastic plates — show a man hanging naked from chains while he is being subjected to electric shocks, another inmate on the floor surrounded by snarling dogs as several people kick him, and graphic depictions of anal rape. — Maggie Michael, Fox News, "In Yemen, 46 detainees released from UAE-controlled prison," 4 July 2018 The drawings — made on plastic plates — show a man hanging naked from chains while he is being subjected to electric shocks, another inmate on the floor surrounded by snarling dogs as several people kick him, and graphic depictions of anal rape. — Maggie Michael, Fox News, "In Yemen, 46 detainees released from UAE-controlled prison," 4 July 2018 The drawings — made on plastic plates — show a man hanging naked from chains while he is being subjected to electric shocks, another inmate on the floor surrounded by snarling dogs as several people kick him, and graphic depictions of anal rape. — Maggie Michael, Fox News, "In Yemen, 46 detainees released from UAE-controlled prison," 4 July 2018 The drawings — made on plastic plates — show a man hanging naked from chains while he is being subjected to electric shocks, another inmate on the floor surrounded by snarling dogs as several people kick him, and graphic depictions of anal rape. — Maggie Michael, Fox News, "In Yemen, 46 detainees released from UAE-controlled prison," 4 July 2018 In one incident in Aden’s Beir Ahmed prison, where al-Anbari was held, hundreds of inmates were forced to undress and Emirati officers searched their anal cavities on March 10, claiming to be looking for contraband cellphones. — Maggie Michael, The Seattle Times, "Yemen detainees free days after AP report on UAE-run prisons," 26 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for anal
anal
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of anal
biology : of, relating to, or located near the anus
: extremely or overly neat, careful, or precise
See the full definition for anal in the English Language Learners Dictionary
anal
adjectiveKids Definition of anal
: relating to the anus
anal
adjective
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Medical Definition of anal
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : of, relating to, or situated near the anus the anal opening anal fissures
2a : of, relating to, or characterized by the stage of psychosexual development in psychoanalytic theory that follows the oral stage and during which a child derives libidinal gratification from the expulsion and retention of the feces and conflict arises from parental demands regarding toilet training During the anal stage, from about 18 months to 3 years, the sphincter muscles become sensitive and controllable and bowel and bladder retention and elimination become a source of gratification.— David G. Myers, Psychology, 2001
b : of, relating to, or characterized by personality traits (as orderliness, frugality, and obstinacy) considered typical of fixation at the anal stage of development : anal-retentive —often used in nontechnical contexts to describe someone as extremely or excessively neat, careful, or precise — compare genital sense 3, oral sense 3, phallic sense 2
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