as in stubborn
extremely or overly neat, careful, or precise
My anal-retentive brother keeps records of everything that happens in his life.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
Get The Recipe Smart Move Similar recipes with beans and peas existed before then, but a challenge made to a stubborn chef named Helen Corbitt spurred the creation of Texas caviar.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
17 May 2025
-
When tragedy strikes on Michigan roads—when a car skids off an icy bend or a semi-truck barrels through a red light—victims are often left to face not only devastating injuries but also a daunting legal maze of corporate denials and stubborn insurers.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
The film centers on Chomsky, an obsessive radio journalist who investigates the incident, uncovering a network of corruption, political manipulation and media spectacle.—
Jamie Lang,
Variety,
18 May 2025
-
The protests were meant to provoke a response; the obsessive smearing signals that the disruption is doing its work.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
The Trump administration has shown a dogged determination to roll back civil rights, with the focus up to this point primarily on trans people.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2025
-
This is a matter that is going to require dogged determination and persistence to bring to fruition.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Under the measure's broad scope and strict distance limits, few areas in Ohio would remain open to such purchases.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 May 2025
-
Every lens test follows strict real-world testing, where every feature and all functions are tested to assess overall performance.—
James Abbott,
Space.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
The chairman was adamant this bill can still pass by Johnson's goal of Memorial Day.—
Lauren Peller,
ABC News,
16 May 2025
-
Valli remains adamant about the importance of fashion as escapism.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anal-retentive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal-retentive. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share