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
-
Another type of hyperpigmentation that kojic acid can help with is melasma—a stubborn and hard-to-treat skin condition characterized by splotchy, brown or grayish patches.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
4 Mar. 2025
-
But four months after becoming the first Republican in two decades to win the popular vote, Trump faces a new reality of needing to tackle some of the most stubborn challenges awaiting any new president and deliver on his campaign promises to lower prices.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
The Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
So Far The studio run-throughs of the entire album are a delight to sample, as the occasional rough patches and vocal improvisations add authenticity to the band’s obsessive crusade for perfection.—
Ernesto Lechner,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2025
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The somewhat anonymous shapes of the EQS and EQE have not earned those machines many fans outside of obsessive aerodynamicists.—
Tim Stevens,
Ars Technica,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Tom McCarthy’s film is a salute to dogged determination, as the paper’s Spotlight investigative team tracks down leads and tries to get people to go on the record.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Doing the little things right — like playing dogged perimeter defense — will pay off in big ways for Kuminga in the Dubs.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Mercury News,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The Parisian bob, however, is a looser, less strict rendition, with a longer length and a wispier take on bangs—or without them entirely.—
Elle Turner,
Glamour,
1 Mar. 2025
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While seafood imports must meet strict federal safety regulations, this catfish recall underscores the challenges of monitoring international food supply chains.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Warner was adamant that oppressors should be stopped not only using military force, but also with intellectual muscle and dialogue.—
Chris Yogerst / Made by History,
TIME,
6 Mar. 2025
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House Speaker Daniel Perez, a Miami Republican who championed the law in 2022, has been adamant that mandatory financial reserves for building maintenance are essential in preventing another building from crumbling to the ground.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
1 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anal-retentive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal-retentive. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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