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
The legendary punk rock band formed in California’s East Bay and was a seminal part of the early 1990s Bay Area music scene before going on to massive mainstream success.
—
Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
In 2013, Shorty spoke to Rolling Stone about his role in helping reunite seminal New Orleans band the Meters.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2026
Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel created something bold, transgressive, and truly seminal that holds up even today as the gold standard for horror.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
Together, uncertainty and hope keep limerence alive, as experimental psychologist Dorothy Tennov, PhD, explained in her seminal work, Love and Limerence.
—Amanda McCracken, SELF, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for seminal
Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
In 2013, Shorty spoke to Rolling Stone about his role in helping reunite seminal New Orleans band the Meters.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2026
Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel created something bold, transgressive, and truly seminal that holds up even today as the gold standard for horror.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
Together, uncertainty and hope keep limerence alive, as experimental psychologist Dorothy Tennov, PhD, explained in her seminal work, Love and Limerence.
—Amanda McCracken, SELF, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for seminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seminal
Adjective
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Many consider Hunt to be the most well-rounded candidate, given her credentials as a former journalist, her familiarity with the BBC, track record of backing hits like Slow Horses and Sherlock, and her experience at one of the world’s most influential tech companies.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2026
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Online, conservatives have threatened to boycott the Super Bowl and the NFL more broadly, with influential voices like Newsmax host Greg Kelly and Tomi Lahren openly criticizing the league for choosing Bad Bunny as the performer.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The neighborhood/area Nestled along Pinney's Beach, the property sits just minutes from museums, plantation homes, and historic churches dating to the 1600s.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
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Missouri - Travelers can cross the historic Chain of Rocks bridge over the Mississippi River and explore underground cages.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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As for the ever important flame, a high-performance burner powered by bio-GPL produced from 100 percent renewable feedstocks by energy company ENI is at the core of the torch.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
6 Feb. 2026
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Its mass is the most important factor in determining both its lifetime and its fate, with other secondary factors, such as metallicity (or the fraction of heavy elements present within it), also playing a role.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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My thinking ultimately derived from my response to Slate and NPR’s new Black film canon project, which was an authoritative list of 50 films.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
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Duah’s authoritative finish in the 68th minute stood as the largest goal of the two matches.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The film received strong critical acclaim upon its release, holding a 95% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Some 25 million people viewed the spot, by the way, but only 15 commented on it, and most were critical.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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At least five competing proposals have emerged from major coalitions, several of which have fractured in recent days as internal disputes deepened.—
JACQUELINE CHARLES MIAMI HERALD,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
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This latest release coincides with a major celebration of his spiritual organization, the incarnation month of its second guru, Shah Satnam Singh.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The 2026 Winter Olympics officially opened on Friday, Feb, 6, 2026, with a groundbreaking opening ceremony that took place across multiple venues in Italy — a first in Winter Olympics history.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
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This isn’t a new or groundbreaking concept in soccer.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Seminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seminal. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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