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psychoanalytic theory
a
: of, relating to, characterized by, or being the stage of psychosexual development which follows the oral stage (see oral entry 1 sense 3) and during which the child is concerned especially with his or her feces
b
: of, relating to, characterized by, or being personality traits (such as parsimony, meticulousness, and ill humor) considered typical of fixation at the anal stage of development : anal-retentive
—often used in nontechnical contexts to describe someone as extremely or excessively neat, careful, or precise
Example Sentences
Adjective
He can be pretty anal about keeping his office neat.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Economist, 6 June 2020
Since the attack, India has amended its rape laws, widening the definition to include anal and oral penetration.
—Vedika Sud, CNN, 19 Mar. 2020
EcoHealth Alliance researchers have long collected blood, urine, feces, and oral and anal swabs from wild bats in China and elsewhere in an effort to solve such puzzles.
—Meredith Wadman, Science | AAAS, 30 Apr. 2020
Anderson assaulted and abused the wrestler on at least 35 occasions, or 70 total acts of nonconsensual anal penetration and genital fondling, between 1984 and 1989 when the wrestler was between the ages of 17 and 22, the suit alleges.
—David Jesse, Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2020
Aside from skipping the necessary prep work, forgetting to use lube is one of the main reasons why anal can be unpleasant for some people.
—Sophie Saint Thomas, refinery29.com, 8 Apr. 2020
In 2018, inspectors at one of Mr. Scheiner’s nursing homes in Balch Springs, Texas, spotted a staff member who failed to wash or sanitize her hands before cleaning a resident’s anal area.
—Jesse Drucker, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2020
Current tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, look for genetic material of the virus, for instance in saliva or nasal, oral, or anal swabs, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
—Dennis Normile, Science | AAAS, 27 Feb. 2020
At one visit, in the spring of 2017, Rannestad could not complete a pelvic exam because of the extreme swelling around Addimando’s vaginal and anal areas.
—Rachel Louise Snyder, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2019
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Adjective
More cheerfully, younger Chinese are not as superstitious, and so are less likely to believe that a baby born without an anal opening, for example, must be cursed and fit only for abandonment.
—The Economist, 6 June 2020
Since the attack, India has amended its rape laws, widening the definition to include anal and oral penetration.
—Vedika Sud, CNN, 19 Mar. 2020
EcoHealth Alliance researchers have long collected blood, urine, feces, and oral and anal swabs from wild bats in China and elsewhere in an effort to solve such puzzles.
—Meredith Wadman, Science | AAAS, 30 Apr. 2020
Anderson assaulted and abused the wrestler on at least 35 occasions, or 70 total acts of nonconsensual anal penetration and genital fondling, between 1984 and 1989 when the wrestler was between the ages of 17 and 22, the suit alleges.
—David Jesse, Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2020
Aside from skipping the necessary prep work, forgetting to use lube is one of the main reasons why anal can be unpleasant for some people.
—Sophie Saint Thomas, refinery29.com, 8 Apr. 2020
In 2018, inspectors at one of Mr. Scheiner’s nursing homes in Balch Springs, Texas, spotted a staff member who failed to wash or sanitize her hands before cleaning a resident’s anal area.
—Jesse Drucker, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2020
Current tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, look for genetic material of the virus, for instance in saliva or nasal, oral, or anal swabs, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
—Dennis Normile, Science | AAAS, 27 Feb. 2020
At one visit, in the spring of 2017, Rannestad could not complete a pelvic exam because of the extreme swelling around Addimando’s vaginal and anal areas.
—Rachel Louise Snyder, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2019
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Phrases Containing anal
Dictionary Entries Near anal
Cite this Entry
“Anal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anal. Accessed 8 Feb. 2023.
Kids Definition
anal
adjectiveˈān-ᵊl
: of, relating to, situated near, or involving the anus
anally
adverb
-ᵊl-ē
Medical Definition
anal
1 of 2 adjective2
a
: of, relating to, or characterized by the stage of psychosexual development in psychoanalytic theory that follows the oral stage and during which a child derives libidinal gratification from the expulsion and retention of the feces and conflict arises from parental demands regarding toilet training
b
: of, relating to, or characterized by personality traits (as orderliness, frugality, and obstinacy) considered typical of fixation at the anal stage of development : anal-retentive
—often used in nontechnical contexts to describe someone as extremely or excessively neat, careful, or precise
compare genital sense 3, oral sense 3, phallic sense 2
More from Merriam-Webster on anal
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for anal
Nglish: Translation of anal for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of anal for Arabic Speakers
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