anal-retentive

adjective

Definition of anal-retentivenext
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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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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anal-retentive
  1. stubborn
  2. obsessive
  3. dogged
  4. strict
  5. adamant
Adjective
  • His crippling, his stubborn arrogance and refusal to be humbled, has somehow humanized the spoiled brat king.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • However, Sokolowski says oxygen bleach is a suitable option for lifting stubborn stains.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 19 July 2026
Definition of stubborn
Adjective
  • Even so, sonic adventurers, beginning with Leopold Stokowski in the 1930s, experimented with amplification in an obsessive, seemingly quixotic effort to locate a mythical sonic grail on the Cahuenga Pass.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
  • Some breeds are more genetically prone to these obsessive compulsive cats tendencies.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
Definition of obsessive
Adjective
  • One of the hallmarks of the series is its dogged attention to detail, an aspect of storyboarding infinitely complicated by the non-linear nature of the episodes and the vast number of years Lestat’s life as a vampire spans.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2026
  • Some people still pursue that dream in the dry, dogged manner that Meagher did.
    — Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 20 June 2026
Definition of dogged
Adjective
  • Though South Florida abides by strict statewide building codes to protect against wind and flooding, Lejeune is concerned that no new construction has been tested by destructive storms.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • In the 2026 session, the Legislature passed HB 991, an elections bill that requires strict proof of citizenship to vote and reduces the forms of photo ID that are acceptable at the polls.
    — Eric "Doc" Stelnicki, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2026
Definition of strict
Adjective
  • This summer has been challenging, yet Newcastle are adamant that their 85 per cent majority owner, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), is determined to spend up to the maximum within the rules moving forward.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • And while an old Interceptor would be a pretty dumb platform to build a track car with, Jensen’s new management is adamant that this is not the revival of the old Interceptor.
    — Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 16 July 2026
Definition of adamant

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Cite this Entry

“Anal-retentive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal-retentive. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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