as in obsessive
extremely or overly neat, careful, or precise
I've always been anal about arranging my books alphabetically by author.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of anal
That means STIs can also cause throat, genital and anal infections.
—
Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2025
For partnered anal penetration, communication is the key to a safer and more pleasurable experience.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 11 Aug. 2025
There are other ways to explore: fingers, smaller toys, anal plugs, etc.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 3 July 2025
Weeks later, anal warts appeared around the rim of Laurent’s rectum, the complaint says, and he was diagnosed with condyloma.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for anal
Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2025
For partnered anal penetration, communication is the key to a safer and more pleasurable experience.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 11 Aug. 2025
There are other ways to explore: fingers, smaller toys, anal plugs, etc.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 3 July 2025
Weeks later, anal warts appeared around the rim of Laurent’s rectum, the complaint says, and he was diagnosed with condyloma.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for anal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anal
Adjective
-
Psychologists distinguish between obsessive and harmonious passion.—
Nell Derick Debevoise,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
With his jaw clenched and sights set on being the next James Bond, Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Major Will Tranter, a bomb disposal pro who’s both an ace sniper and a bit of a loose cannon, breaking protocol in his obsessive attempt to deactivate the vintage ordnance with minimal casualties.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
However, her mother is adamant about keeping the canine off the antique chair.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Sandlin was adamant that his engineering team has done everything possible to ensure no adverse impact to neighboring properties.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Without a strict hierarchy or single decision-maker, our process can sometimes be slow, messy, or even tiring.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
11 Sep. 2025
-
At too many colleges, leaders have been reluctant to impose strict rules or harsh penalties for chatbot use, passing the buck to professors to come up with their own policies.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share