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
Janet Jackson was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for Rhythm Nation 1814, alongside several seminal albums and recordings at a gala on Friday at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
—
Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2026
The academic bookshelf groans with the weight of studies of the phenomenon, but the seminal analysis of the topic remains a 1997 paper by economist Severin Borenstein of UC Berkeley and his colleagues.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
These experiences were fictionalized in his seminal novel A Farewell to Arms (1929).
—René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
Not all of Amos’ new ground is so heavy, though; In Times of Dragons boasts her first use of the harpsichord since 1996’s seminal Boys for Pele.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for seminal
Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2026
The academic bookshelf groans with the weight of studies of the phenomenon, but the seminal analysis of the topic remains a 1997 paper by economist Severin Borenstein of UC Berkeley and his colleagues.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
These experiences were fictionalized in his seminal novel A Farewell to Arms (1929).
—René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
Not all of Amos’ new ground is so heavy, though; In Times of Dragons boasts her first use of the harpsichord since 1996’s seminal Boys for Pele.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for seminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seminal
Adjective
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In the new research, when other influential factors were considered, only amitriptyline and nortriptyline remained linked with a higher risk of ADHD.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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This highly influential early 19th century poetry collection seems to sit comfortably among Yoo’s work.—
Diana Arterian,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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This historic settlement reflects an institutional and fundamental cultural shift away from radical ‘gender’ ideology.—
Robert McGreevy,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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Not only is Benyamin’s graduation historic for the university, but his educational accomplishments are rare.—
Allison Kiehl,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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The promises made and attacks scattered like buckshot on the San Francisco soundstage all seem much less important than the numbers that show up in opinion polls between now and Election Day.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
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This is especially important for low-income communities and others who rely heavily on the shot for contraception.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Showrunner Ben Thursby-Palmer was a calmly authoritative Brit with a prodigious understanding of live spectacle.—
Anna Peele,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
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An agent grounded in authoritative legal content produces fundamentally different work than one operating on scraped public data.—
Joel Hron,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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In Canada, those minerals sit in the same rock formations where miners already dig for copper, nickel, and diamonds, or explore for critical green transition metals like lithium and cobalt.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
18 May 2026
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Global energy demand is projected to rise more than 50% by 2040, driven by economic growth in Asia and power-hungry AI infrastructure — and LNG, which is a cleaner fuel than coal or oil, is seen as a critical source to help meet that demand.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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The Jaguars will play at Camping World Stadium in Orlando in 2027 while their home field, EverBank Stadium, undergoes major renovations.—
Scott Turick,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
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James Ward During the debate, Republican Steve Hilton vowed to restart offshore oil drilling in California — a proposal that conflicts with decades of state policy shaped by major oil spills and strict coastal protections.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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As of last month, the county was aiming to have a groundbreaking or ceremonial event for the square and tree in July as part of the 250th anniversary festivities, with plans to start construction after and complete the project in 2028.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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The idea that this won’t be rare — at least for him — much longer, is what makes this feel so groundbreaking.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Seminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seminal. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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