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
-
Coaches will tell you of a character who could be grumpy or stubborn, but also of someone who needed faith shown in him.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
-
Thanks to its impressive staying power, this eyeliner can be a bit stubborn to remove.—
Siena Gagliano,
Allure,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The project takes its toll Christiansen is the first to admit that receiving that lesson from Erebus triggered his most obsessive qualities.—
Jason Fanelli,
Rolling Stone,
1 Feb. 2025
-
Defense attorneys argued that all of this happened because the whole family suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, 9News reported.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Apte does what the script requires as the dogged cop on his trial, even as Andrews has a bit of a more one-note role.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2025
-
Profiles invariably zeroed in on his combination of dogged perseverance and an aw-shucks approach to his task.—
Clay Risen,
New York Times,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
His remarkable physique is a testament to that strict regimen.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
-
This story incorporates reporting from KNOE, The Sun, ABC Columbia and Local 12 WKRC Cincinnati. Spirit Airlines has revised its policies to enforce a stricter dress code for passengers.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Rocky has been adamant in declaring his innocence, refusing what many considered a decent plea deal before the trial got underway.—
Jessica Bennett,
VIBE.com,
29 Jan. 2025
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Such a lineup is unknown territory for the festival, but Blanc was adamant not to deviate from the carte blanche principle for selections.—
Lily Templeton,
WWD,
29 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near anal-retentive
Cite this Entry
“Anal-retentive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal-retentive. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.
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