Synonyms of anal

anal

adjective

informal

as in obsessive

extremely or overly neat, careful, or precise

I've always been anal about arranging my books alphabetically by author.

Related Words

• obsessive
• adamant
• strict
• stubborn
• obstinate
• hard
• rigid
• persistent
• anal-retentive
• unrelenting
• uncompromising
• unbending
• relentless
• pertinacious
• mulish
• adamantine
• perverse
• intransigent
• pat
• inflexible
• hardened
• implacable
• opinionated
• bullheaded
• ossified
• obdurate
• unyielding
• hardheaded
• headstrong
• willful
• wayward
• inexorable
• tenacious
• severe
• unflinching
• stern
• immovable
• dogged
• wrongheaded
• iron
• steadfast
• pigheaded
• resolved
• determined
• self-willed
• hard-nosed
• hidebound
• inconvincible
• hard-line
• single-minded
• firm
• hard-shell
• narrow-minded
• cantankerous
• disobedient
• refractory
• recalcitrant
• uncooperative
• self-opinionated
• stiff-necked
• insubordinate
• unmanageable
• hell-bent
• set
• intractable
• contumacious
• stouthearted
• unruly
• cussed
• mutinous
• contrary
• defiant
• bloody-minded
• insurgent
• froward
• ungovernable
• inveterate
• invincible
• exacting
• indomitable
• unconquerable
• confirmed
• unregenerate
• demanding

Dissimilar Words

• submissive
• obedient
• docile
• willing
• receptive
• tractable
• accepting
• responsive
• reasonable
• manageable
• temperate
• placable
• slavish
• subservient
• flexible
• complying
• compliant
• acquiescent
• persuadable
• agreeable
• amenable
• pliant
• pliable
• governable
• yielding
• relenting

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of anal

Sitz baths — soaking the anal area in a shallow bath of warm water — may feel soothing, and doctors often recommend them for anorectal discomfort. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 29 Apr. 2026

Its founder, Mara McCarthy, is the daughter of Conceptual artist Paul McCarthy, who gained prominence in the 1990s for his playful installations critiquing pop culture and featuring such unusual materials as peanut butter, chocolate, and anal plugs. — News Desk, Artforum, 27 Apr. 2026

Over 90% of anal cancer is caused by HPV. — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026

Adult men who were never married had approximately five times the rate of anal cancer compared with married men. — Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2026