as in influential
very important especially in having a strong influence on things that come later
She authored several seminal papers that are frequently cited in later works because they laid the theoretical groundwork for future studies.
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Recent Examples of seminal
Grandiose rhetoric aside, the agreement unquestionably represents a seminal achievement—if only a preliminary one.
—
Ilan Berman, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Sigourney Weaver won’t rule out returning to her seminal Alien character Ripley in light of 50 new pages of a script she’s seen from producer Walter Hill.
—Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
The seminal moment of my career was Game 7 in the 2013 NBA Finals.
—Elise Devlin, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
That included discussing his 1989 seminal rom-com classic, directed from a script by Nora Ephron and starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for seminal
Ilan Berman, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Sigourney Weaver won’t rule out returning to her seminal Alien character Ripley in light of 50 new pages of a script she’s seen from producer Walter Hill.
—Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
The seminal moment of my career was Game 7 in the 2013 NBA Finals.
—Elise Devlin, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
That included discussing his 1989 seminal rom-com classic, directed from a script by Nora Ephron and starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for seminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seminal
Adjective
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Elsewhere in the hotel are pieces by furniture studio Branco & Preto, founded by a group of young architects in the 1950s, and chairs by the influential Romanian-Brazilian architect Jean Gillon.—
Hannah Walhout,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
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In 2010, Vought quit working for House Republicans and helped launch Heritage Action for America, an offshoot of the influential conservative think tank Heritage Foundation.—
Andy Kroll,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Nichols previously found a historic penny there — notably, it was clipped to half its value.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
20 Oct. 2025
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Additionally, the trucks used to collect yard waste, which are the same ones used for leaf collection and large debris removal like the services needed during the historic flood in August, need to be replaced within the next few years.—
Bridget Fogarty,
jsonline.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
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Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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While Efraimoglou is bold and authoritative, Vandorou is quiet and reflective.—
Janine Di Giovanni,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Oct. 2025
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The Red List, produced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is the most authoritative global assessment of extinction risk of species.—
Nell Lewis,
CNN Money,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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However, the White House later released a fact sheet stating the countries will invest more than $3 billion in critical mineral projects over the next six months.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Oct. 2025
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Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.—
Allison Parshall,
Scientific American,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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With that being said, there has been a major injury scenario leading up to the game.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
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Young people in Africa have been increasingly vocal, calling for major reforms amid growing unrest.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This was a groundbreaking moment in telecommunications history, paving the way for widespread cellular phone use and modern mobile communication.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
13 Oct. 2025
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While the show’s core narrative isn’t exactly groundbreaking, the exaggerated, intense and fast-paced emergencies, along with the engaging plot turns, will undoubtedly draw in audiences.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Seminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seminal. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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