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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Researchers have been looking into ways to reduce the stubborn inflammation HIV causes in the central nervous system.—
Smita S. Iyer,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
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The findings, published in 2025 in Brain Stimulation, point to a fundamentally new way of treating one of the most stubborn psychiatric conditions, using a miniaturized implant that delivers brief bursts of stimulation only during key moments of exposure therapy.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
This is not just my obsessive personality.—
Nina Bandelj,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
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American Gangster is Lucas’ story, but the film is a true two-hander, with Crowe’s obsessive performance as Roberts balancing out Denzel's Lucas, who moves through the criminal world quietly and with control.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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Her clarity of thought and dogged focus on how to uplift people who need it most have stayed constant.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
2 June 2026
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Colloff’s reporting is, as usual, dogged and exhaustive, and the book reads like a thriller, but never sacrifices the humanity of the people Skalnik hurt.—
Michael Schaub,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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The latest outbreak, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain, has infected at least 515 people and killed 91, prompting strict limits on public gatherings and enforced social distancing.—
Justin Kabumba,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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Before the Gov Ball sound engineers cut his mic out of respect for the park’s strict curfew and noise ordinance, Pretty Flacko had to take time out to reminisce about his own breakout.—
Rob Kenner,
VIBE.com,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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Regardless, Stanton is adamant that there is no hypothetical future in which raccoons could realistically become good house pets.—
Shoshi Parks,
Popular Science,
10 June 2026
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Alonso was adamant that the school board should seek opportunities to either repurpose or lease properties that schools vacate, not sell them.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anal-retentive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal-retentive. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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