seminal

adjective

Definition of seminalnext
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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Example Sentences

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 seminal Kerry's activism reflects seminal moments from her younger years. — Diane Cole, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026 The rap superstar and 25-time Grammy winner has been in the news amidst his global Jay-Z 30 Tour concerts to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his debut album Reasonable Doubt and the 25th anniversary of his seminal The Blueprint. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026 In 2001, the brilliant columnist Robert Lipsyte wrote a seminal column for The New York Times on the ugly status of college sports in American higher education. — Bruce Svare, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2026 The 724-foot-high, 61-story One Dalton was designed by architect Henry Cobb, the architect behind Boston’s seminal John Hancock Tower (now called 200 Clarendon Street). — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for seminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seminal
  1. influential
  2. historic
  3. important
  4. authoritative
  5. critical
  6. major
  7. groundbreaking
Adjective
  • The influential group of Latino lawmakers, many of whom have immigrant or farmworker backgrounds, accounts for nearly a third of the Legislature.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • An administration can understand this, but that doesn’t mean influential board members agree.
    — Mac Engel October 28, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of influential
Adjective
  • In September 2026 Huang and a few collaborators uploaded a proof that the historic equations represent a single case of a much grander geometrical theory.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Days out from the historic vote, the race also has become a new venue for the city’s infamously rough-and-tumble politics.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of historic
Adjective
  • Helium plays an important role in wind, solar and nuclear energy production, space exploration, medical imaging and research.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Education and giving back are important values to the family as the project represents for them a broader impact within the natural diamond industry.
    — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of important
Adjective
  • Without an authoritative accounting, Eisenkot argues, the country cannot fully reckon with the catastrophe.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Our colleague Helen Branswell was a renowned infectious disease reporter who earned the respect and admiration of experts and public health officials with her authoritative, prescient reporting on the flu, polio, Ebola and the Covid-19 pandemic.
    — Elaine Chen, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of authoritative
Adjective
  • Key Takeaways These artificial channels are up to five times more selective for lithium, offering a simpler way to extract the critical battery material.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Seeking to acquire as wide a tent of support as possible, Student List purposefully left its position on most critical issues outside of corruption vague and noncommittal.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of critical
Adjective
  • This stage determines how engineers distribute major systems throughout the submarine.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • The InterContinental is also a short walk from a major Gencom project in development.
    — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of major
Adjective
  • The church — on the corner of Lucile Avenue and Griffith Park Boulevard — has a rich Hollywood history, having once served as the home to the groundbreaking Asian American theater company the East West Players.
    — Mickey Rapkin, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026
  • As has been widely and obviously pointed out, Silicon Valley’s decision to tout AI as a groundbreaking technology that might make your life better, but could also just as easily take your job and destroy the world, wasn’t the best PR move.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of groundbreaking

Browse Nearby Words

semimonthly
seminal
seminar
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Cite this Entry

“Seminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seminal. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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