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
His maternal grandfather, Mario Montes, played accordion in the seminal norteño duo Los Donneños, which began performing throughout the Rio Grande Valley in the 1940s.
—
Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR, 24 Mar. 2026
In 2021-22, Milan’s Fondazione Prada mounted a seminal retrospective of more than 100 paintings and an equal number of drawings by Gnoli (Miuccia Prada and her husband Patrizio Bertelli are among the artist’s top collectors).
—Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2026
In that seminal kung fu film’s climactic scene, Lee and Norris’ characters face off inside the Colosseum in Rome.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
The seminal comic, a Batman tale that ended up reshaping the comics medium, is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for seminal
Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR, 24 Mar. 2026
In 2021-22, Milan’s Fondazione Prada mounted a seminal retrospective of more than 100 paintings and an equal number of drawings by Gnoli (Miuccia Prada and her husband Patrizio Bertelli are among the artist’s top collectors).
—Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2026
In that seminal kung fu film’s climactic scene, Lee and Norris’ characters face off inside the Colosseum in Rome.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
The seminal comic, a Batman tale that ended up reshaping the comics medium, is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for seminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seminal
Adjective
-
As ideological blocs collapsed, political scientist Samuel Huntington’s influential 1996 book Clash of Civilizations articulated a growing anxiety that globalization would harden into cultural antagonism rather than consensus.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Woods is the most influential figure in golf and has become as recognizable as any athlete in the world.—
R.J. Rico,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There were questions, as late as Friday, whether the 26,700-seat stadium would be ready to host the historic occasion.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
And with those words from Mission Control on April 2, the Artemis II astronauts were given the green light to fire up their engine, leave Earth orbit and head for their historic rendezvous with the moon.—
Robert Abitbol,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Another important note to make is that Lupaia is closed during the winter season for improvements to the rooms, garden, public area, and overall guest experience since the weather is too unpredictable to welcome guests during that time anyway.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 Apr. 2026
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Nonresidents have such an important role to play in the management of wildlife in Wyoming, and obviously nonresident [hunting and fishing] licenses cost a lot more than resident ones do.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
These articles add depth to a brand’s digital footprint and act as authoritative signals when AI tools evaluate credibility.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Michigan soon may have a more authoritative accounting.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Millions of Americans enrolled in Medicare Advantage are approaching a critical deadline that could have long-lasting financial consequences.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
For Iranian athletes who play in domestic-league games that aren’t broadcast internationally, the World Cup serves as a critical launchpad to impress international scouts.—
Albert Samaha,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Following the price gouging session, two major refineries — Valero in the San Francisco Bay Area and Wilmington Phillips 66 in the Los Angeles area — have shut down, taking hundreds of jobs and nearly one-fifth of the state's gasoline production with them.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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On Day 1, the astronauts made it safely into Earth's orbit and the mission reached the end of its first major propulsion phase, NASA said.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Drawing from Brown’s experience as a groundbreaking reporter for the Miami Herald, the book and the limited series follow her relentless years-long investigation that identified 80 victims, persuaded key survivors to go on the record, and led to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s arrests.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
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The answer, however, will determine part of the future in international of a truly groundbreaking auteur-empowering TV production for which both HBO and Corral have come to be renowned.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Seminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seminal. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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