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
Common signs of anal gland problems include scooting, persistent odors, and excessive licking of the rear end.
—
Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Whipworm dogs usually present as very thin and tapeworm is often noted because people see the segments on the dog’s feces or around their anal area.
—Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
His portrayal of the anal West Philadelphia public school teacher earned him three Emmy nominations and one Golden Globe Award.
—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
Some types, especially urethritis, can arise due to gonorrhea and chlamydia, which spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anal
Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Whipworm dogs usually present as very thin and tapeworm is often noted because people see the segments on the dog’s feces or around their anal area.
—Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
His portrayal of the anal West Philadelphia public school teacher earned him three Emmy nominations and one Golden Globe Award.
—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
Some types, especially urethritis, can arise due to gonorrhea and chlamydia, which spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anal
Adjective
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When the film opens, on April 24th, Jackson’s obsessive fans will have a chance to render their own verdict, and so will what remains of the moviegoing public.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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But Souled American’s music doesn’t feel labored-over or obsessive.—
Zach Schonfeld,
Pitchfork,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Following their Play-In loss, Leonard was non-committal about his future, but Frank was adamant about the team’s intentions.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
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The police were very adamant from early on in the investigation that no one in the Guthrie family was involved.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The government, which is mediating the negotiations, has already imposed a strict security bubble ready for the arrival of Vice President JD Vance and the Iranian delegation.—
Will Clark,
NBC news,
20 Apr. 2026
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Donation is only considered after every life-saving effort has been exhausted and death has been declared according to strict medical and ethical standards.—
Dr. Hiroshi Sogawa,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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