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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of anal
Forensics find feces under the fingernail, suggesting it had been used in anal play before it was mailed.
—
K.j. Yossman, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
Doctors discover severe condition At a nearby hospital, doctors initially believed Paloma Quatrini was suffering from a condition known as anal prolapse.
—Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Healthy anal glands typically empty naturally during normal bowel movements.
—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
See All Example Sentences for anal
K.j. Yossman, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
Doctors discover severe condition At a nearby hospital, doctors initially believed Paloma Quatrini was suffering from a condition known as anal prolapse.
—Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Healthy anal glands typically empty naturally during normal bowel movements.
—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
See All Example Sentences for anal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anal
Adjective
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Jess Scheer, the CEO of The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), says there’s a strong association between obsessive tracking and disordered eating and eating disorders.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
24 Apr. 2026
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Gadd adapted his one-man show about his experience with an obsessive fan for the Emmy-winning series set up at the streamer — which is now in litigation with Fiona Muir-Harvey, who claims to be the inspiration behind Jessica Gunning’s stalker character.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Warsh would take the chairmanship at a complicated time, given that a spike in gas prices could keep the central bank from lowering interest rates — a move that Trump has been adamant on.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
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Trump has been adamant that Iran give up its nuclear power ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in order for the war to end.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In a fireside chat with Sarah Jones, senior editor of strategic content at Sourcing Journal, Lewkowitz said the industry’s shift toward transparency is no longer optional, but a fundamental requirement for survival in a volatile climate and a stricter regulatory landscape.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
27 Apr. 2026
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This could also open up the possibility that the organization could punish Sorsby for his gambling actions, given the NCAA has a very strict policy on betting.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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