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
-
Here’s the case for Scorpio: Wednesday is suss, secretive, brooding, vengeful and stubborn.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
For Baxter and the stubborn Scot, this marked, at last, the reality of war’s end.—
Charles Pellegrino,
Rolling Stone,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Known for his signature style and obsessive attention to detail, Anderson’s work is distinctive, imaginative, and—above all—meticulous.—
Brett Braley,
Robb Report,
30 July 2025
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So, just stay in the moment, take care of the little things, be consistent with my process, and be obsessive with my process, and make sure nothing's non-negotiable.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Moreover, her catalog assumes a different impact when viewed through the lens of contemplating her as a performer who arrived in Nashville in 1966 as a single mother employed as a cosmetologist who, through dogged determination, achieved unparalleled fame.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
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On Saturday night, Berger was the perfect analog for a dogged, resilient German performance.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 July 2025
Adjective
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If courts agree, retail brands, especially those with global supply chains, could face delays, legal pushback, or stricter oversight.—
Scott Kelly,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Aug. 2025
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Advertisement In June, Vermont passed two of the strictest laws in the nation regulating children's access to technology.—
Charlotte Alter,
Time,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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However, Coast Guard officials were adamant that FEMA makes the ultimate decision, and that FEMA’s choices may differ from the Coast Guard’s recommendations.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
30 July 2025
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However, she’s remained adamant that to pull off paying homage to the famed actress, everything must be done right.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anal-retentive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal-retentive. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.
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