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
Recife Accordion player Luiz Gonzaga, a seminal figure in the folk genre of forró, was born in the state of Pernambuco.
—
Carolina Abbott Galvão, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
In addition to Back to the Future, other rereleases included screenings of all five Twilight movies timed to the 20th anniversary of Stephenie Meyer’s seminal first novel in the romance-vampire series.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2025
Under the extraordinary talent of director Matt Ross, Kockroach will push boundaries and expectations in the same ways as such seminal films as Scarface and Goodfellas.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2025
The Grammy-winning singer, 45, spoke with PEOPLE about her journey while reflecting on the 25th anniversary of her seminal album, Fear of Flying.
—Sean Mandell, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for seminal
Carolina Abbott Galvão, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
In addition to Back to the Future, other rereleases included screenings of all five Twilight movies timed to the 20th anniversary of Stephenie Meyer’s seminal first novel in the romance-vampire series.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2025
Under the extraordinary talent of director Matt Ross, Kockroach will push boundaries and expectations in the same ways as such seminal films as Scarface and Goodfellas.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2025
The Grammy-winning singer, 45, spoke with PEOPLE about her journey while reflecting on the 25th anniversary of her seminal album, Fear of Flying.
—Sean Mandell, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for seminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seminal
Adjective
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The death of former Vice President Dick Cheney earlier this week has evoked divisive reflections across the United States toward one of Washington's most influential figures of the century.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
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Political contacts In the late-1990s and 2000s, while Itera was reporting billions in annual revenue, the company cultivated relationships with influential politicians.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Critics argue the ballroom's sheer scale—twice the size of the main residence—will fundamentally alter the White House's historic proportions and architectural balance.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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Present-day Michigan is the ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi, Anishinaabe peoples forming the historic Council of Three Fires alliance, with the Indigenous presence pre-dating European settlements by more than 10,000 years.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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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.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Nov. 2025
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While collective structure and movements are really important for Perez’s teams, his players must actively think about each decision on the pitch, not just robotically follow instructions from the coaching staff.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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By now, it’s well established that dialogues with chatbots sometimes fuel dangerous delusions, in part because LLMs can feel so authoritative despite their limitations.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
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And, in a pact similar to the one CNN has entered, CNBC struck a deal with Cisco in 2010 that showed how the technology company’s TelePresence networking equipment helped the news outlet bring authoritative sources to the screen.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The shutdown has disrupted federal operations, delayed pay for hundreds of thousands of workers, and put critical programs at risk.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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Some fans were critical of Chiefs general manager Brett Veach when the team failed to make a deal last week ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Here's your daily look at traffic on major highways in the Kansas City area.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
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Obviously, injuries are playing a major factor, but will the Sabres even be able to stay afloat until the lineup is fully healthy?—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This is a groundbreaking and nuanced testimony.—
Jasmine Vojdani,
Vulture,
4 Nov. 2025
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As LimX Dynamics continues to enhance Oli’s repertoire, each new demonstration pushes the humanoid closer to human-like agility – leaving the robotics community anticipating what groundbreaking skill might come next.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Seminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seminal. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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