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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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
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Like this Fire sign, Drizella is unapologetically stubborn and impatience, believing she is entitled to nothing but the best.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Irish actress Niamh Algar (Raised By Wolves) stars as the titular Iris Nixon, an enigmatic genius and obsessive puzzler who is recruited by the charming philanthropist Cameron McIntyre (Tom Hollander) to break a code that will unlock a dangerously powerful, world-changing piece of technology.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Feb. 2025
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George is an obsessive chronicler of his own role in history: In his study, nestled in an idyllic Hudson estate, a floor-to-ceiling shelf is filled with hundreds of black Moleskines, meticulously dated and labeled.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The team has been impressed by his dogged perimeter defense against opposing point guards.—
Danny Emerman,
The Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2025
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Roy emailed me hoping to highlight a neighbor whose dogged dedication to moderating a neighborhood group chat helped keep an entire community in Encino safe and informed during the fires.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Four years on—late in 2024 but well in advance of the Type 00’s public debut in Miami—Robb Report was invited to Gaydon to see the result under conditions of the strictest secrecy.—
Ben Oliver,
Robb Report,
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 10 Mar. 2025.
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