The words anal-retentive ( or anally retentive , anal retentive ) , often shortened to `` anal '' , are used in everyday language to describe a person with such a lot of attention to detail that the obsession becomes annoying to other people . The term anal retentive ( also anally retentive ) , commonly abbreviated to anal , is used conversationally to describe a person who pays such attention to detail that the obsession becomes an annoyance to others , and can be carried out to the detriment of the anal-retentive person .