anal

[eyn-l] / ˈeɪn l /

ADJECTIVE

excessively orderly

Synonyms

STRONGEST

fussy persnickety picky

STRONG

fastidious nitpicking

WEAK

meticulous particular stickling

Antonyms

STRONGEST

messy nonchalant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Pelvic radiotherapy for anal cancer can cause significant, long-term vaginal damage due to the proximity of the vaginal tissues to the treatment area.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

A woman diagnosed with anal cancer has said she thought she was going to die after being left in agony following pelvic radiotherapy treatment.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

I’m going to be like a really anal New York Times reporter.

From Slate • Feb. 4, 2026

I’m kind of anal about how I choose the colors and how I highlight everything.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2025

I drew a dorsal fin on top and an anal fin on the bottom, to prevent the shark from rolling side to side when it was moving forward.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen