ANAL Synonyms: 112 Similar and Opposite Words

anal

adjective

Definition of anal

informal

as in obsessive

extremely or overly neat, careful, or precise I've always been anal about arranging my books alphabetically by author.

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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 White catfish have between 19 and 23 rays, channel catfish have 24 to 30, and blue catfish have the longest anal fin with 30 to 36 rays in total. — Ken Perrotte, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026 Over an 18-month period, fishers at two major fish markets in Puerto Rico submitted nearly 400 shark anal fins as part of a collaborative monitoring program. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 The model and actress was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006 and was declared cancer-free on her 60th birthday in 2007, per the Farrah Fawcett Foundation. — Alyssa Modos, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 Its founder, Mara McCarthy, is the daughter of Conceptual artist Paul McCarthy, who gained prominence in the 1990s for his playful installations critiquing pop culture and featuring such unusual materials as peanut butter, chocolate, and anal plugs. — News Desk, Artforum, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for anal

Adjective

This highly competent, obsessive duo tumbles into a self-destructive cat-and-mouse dynamic — but who’s the cat and who’s the mouse?

— Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 2 July 2026
However, popular culture can’t fully explain why summer camps hold such a nostalgic and almost obsessive place in the nation’s collective consciousness.

— Derek H. Alderman, The Conversation, 26 June 2026

Definition of obsessive

Adjective

While waiting to go to court, Zaayer remained adamant that Shawna needed to go to prison but was also convinced that David — who worked at the nearby jail — was protecting his wife from receiving an adequate punishment, per The Guardian.

— Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
But Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has been adamant that there are not enough votes in the Senate to pass the legislation, given the 60-vote filibuster threshold.

— Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 28 June 2026

Definition of adamant

Adjective

Without stricter coordination, brightness limits, debris controls, disposal rules, and international capacity planning, the next space race could damage the orbital lanes on which modern life now depends.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026
Not a whole lot, admittedly, since there was reportedly a strict no-phone policy for guests (as well as event staff and security).

— Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2026

Definition of strict

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anal

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“Anal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anal. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of anal

adjective

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