as in stubborn
extremely or overly neat, careful, or precise
My anal-retentive brother keeps records of everything that happens in his life.
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Recent Examples of anal-retentive
But there would be no grease-drinking, Judas-playing Sandy without his anal-retentive best friend, Reuben Feffer.
—
Sean Malin, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024
Conventional management practices suppress everything that isn’t vine by mowing, tilling, and spraying herbicide with an intensity that ranges from anal-retentive to paranoid.
—Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 24 July 2024
One might be forgiven for also thinking that the identification is not so much between the audience and the killer as between Fincher, who is known as something of a filmmaking fusspot, and his anal-retentive central character.
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2023
Sean Malin, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024
Conventional management practices suppress everything that isn’t vine by mowing, tilling, and spraying herbicide with an intensity that ranges from anal-retentive to paranoid.
—Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 24 July 2024
One might be forgiven for also thinking that the identification is not so much between the audience and the killer as between Fincher, who is known as something of a filmmaking fusspot, and his anal-retentive central character.
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anal-retentive
Adjective
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Experts warn that the stubborn metric has long-term implications for learning.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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Wait 10 minutes before washing for milder stains or up to a week for more severe or stubborn stains.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Extreme deficits may lead to obsessive food tracking, anxiety around eating, or disordered eating patterns.—
Heather Jones,
Verywell Health,
6 Jan. 2026
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Any new publication of hers is mandatory reading, and not just because transgender Americans are under an obsessive, incessant series of assaults from the current administration and the right more broadly.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Instead, in the past decade, the sport has only gained a more dogged reputation as a frosty space for LGBTQ+ individuals.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
21 Jan. 2026
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Alvarado would give the Knicks a dogged point-of-attack defender, another traditional ballhandler and OK 3-point shooter.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Researchers examined containment, shielding, and redundancy measures to ensure compliance with strict safety expectations for civilian nuclear applications.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
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Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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However, Skipper was adamant that the referee mistakenly listed him as eligible, not Decker, resulting in the Lions losing 20-19 to the Cowboys.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
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Some of the bill’s legislative advocates last year were adamant its motivation was concern over safety and that the public doesn't know enough about the science.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anal-retentive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal-retentive. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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