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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
In 1960, in what would be the start of a seminal friendship, Jones was approached by King to be on his legal team in a tax evasion case brought by the state of Alabama.
—
Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Here are the four kinds of rituals that keep couples crazy about each other, even decades into a relationship, according to the seminal study.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
In 1960, in what would be the start of a seminal friendship, Jones was approached by King to be on his legal team in a tax evasion case brought by the state of Alabama.
—ABC News, 26 May 2026
This entry provides an introduction to cyberculture history and seminal concepts, contextualizing its intellectual path, while expanding it into contemporary perspectives.
—Paulo Nuno Vicenteall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for seminal
Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Here are the four kinds of rituals that keep couples crazy about each other, even decades into a relationship, according to the seminal study.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
In 1960, in what would be the start of a seminal friendship, Jones was approached by King to be on his legal team in a tax evasion case brought by the state of Alabama.
—ABC News, 26 May 2026
This entry provides an introduction to cyberculture history and seminal concepts, contextualizing its intellectual path, while expanding it into contemporary perspectives.
—Paulo Nuno Vicenteall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for seminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seminal
Adjective
-
As audiences discuss reality television across social platforms, franchises communicate directly with viewers throughout a season's lifecycle, positioning audiences as an influential force before, during and after a season airs.—
Jacqueline Jevtich,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Since 2016’s Nightly Waves, Rubenstein resumed performing live and recording with Chamberlain, the influential Indianapolis outfit that largely stopped working in the early 2000s after morphing from the high school-era hardcore band Split Lip.—
SPIN Staff,
SPIN,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Metal barricades surrounded Madison Square Garden and police checkpoints were up around Penn Station as city officials scrambled to prevent a repeat of Wednesday night’s chaos, when dozens of fans were taken into custody after the Knicks’ historic comeback.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Smith helped catalyze the 49ers’ historic turnaround during his rookie season in 2011 thanks to his ability to disrupt quarterbacks.—
Michael McGough,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
-
An early, nonpublic version of Mythos spooked policymakers and corporate executives in April for its ability to find more than 10,000 severe bugs and vulnerabilities in important software systems.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Every Tuesday, this new newsletter delivers clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it.—
Melissa Hancock,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
-
The annual ranking, long considered one of the restaurant industry's most authoritative lists, is curated by an independent academy of 300 culinary experts and honors destinations across North America that are pushing culinary boundaries while delivering exceptional dining experiences.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Midwest Living,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
California officials, including Secretary of State Shirley Weber, have repeatedly refuted claims of fraud and, in fact, have defended the state’s slower process as critical to ensuring the counts are accurate.—
Linh Tat,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
-
Remarkably, New York has actually been outscored by four points in his 75 total minutes through two games, yet his critical shot-making in the fourth quarters has come when his team has needed it most.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Sacramento Bee covered a wide range of news on June 11, from a critical city audit to a major land return for a Northern California tribe.—
Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
-
Tribeca was launched in an effort to help revitalize Lower Manhattan, but has since grown into a major celebration of the arts and media.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Amazon Leo’s service promises to be ‘groundbreaking,’ both in quality of service and affordability for consumers.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
-
But sometimes the best, most groundbreaking work comes from those who, by luck or design, don’t even see the boundaries to begin with—which is as good of a place as any to begin the story of Cygnet Gin.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Seminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seminal. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
