SEMINAL Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

seminal

adjective

Definition of seminal

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 The political scientist Elizabeth Cohen has done seminal work exploring time as a potent, if obscure, form of political currency. — Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026 In February, for example, the orchestra will devote an entire program to seminal, Academy Award-winning film composer John Williams. — Barbara Vitello, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 The seminal book presented a bottom-up view of American history, and Zinn, who lived well into his 80s, never lost faith that small acts of grassroots social struggle have the power to change the world. — Monitor Reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2026 One theory, proposed in seminal papers by the Italian hydrologist Andrea Rinaldo and colleagues in the early 1990s, says that river networks are elongated at large scales because this is the most energy-efficient way of transporting water downhill. — Natalie Wolchover, Quanta Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for seminal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for seminal

Adjective

The text profiles the cooking of such influential figures as the Catalan chef Ferran Adrià and the Basque Country’s Juan Mari Arzak and provides recipes for centuries-old dishes from Madrid.

— Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026
Woods, who is among the most influential figures in golf, has been involved in several road incidents in recent years.

— Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of influential

Adjective

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague on Monday ruled in Pakistan's favor over the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, saying the historic pact remains fully binding and that India had no valid grounds for ending or suspending it.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
This design is directly inspired by a historic Leroy tact watch created in 1810, today preserved at the Patek Philippe Museum.

— Carol Besler, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of historic

Adjective

That has changed quietly, with robots now performing important roles in operating rooms, hospital wards, rehabilitation centers, and corridors around the world.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Reseeding is particularly important in high-traffic areas or patches of the lawn where grubs, heat, or disease have left the turf thin.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of important

Adjective

Because these procedures can be incredibly complex, each chamber of Congress has a parliamentarian who provides authoritative, objective, and nonpartisan guidance on how rules and precedents should be interpreted and applied.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Their strategic advantage lies in leveraging local expertise and trusted, authoritative content directly within AI interfaces.

— Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of authoritative

Adjective

Engineers can develop critical reactor hardware internally while sourcing mature technologies elsewhere.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
The mere possibility of losing its critical space assets in a surprise attack could push the United States to use its forces early or to delegate launch authority in ways that raise the risk of an accident, to avoid the devastating consequences.

— Jeffrey Lewis, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of critical

Adjective

Applying high-temperature treatment to large magnet components, however, would present major engineering challenges.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
The Italian supermodel attended this major film event wearing a dress from the Chanel Cruise 2026–2027 collection.

— Giacomo Aricò, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of major

Adjective

With its coronagraph and WFI, the telescope is designed to make groundbreaking strides in the fields of dark matter and dark energy, exoplanet discoveries, and will be capable of capturing views 100 times wider than those of its Hubble predecessor.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 30 Aug. 2026
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a groundbreaking pancreatic cancer drug that experts predict will transform treatment for the notoriously deadly disease.

— Erika Edwards, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of groundbreaking

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semimonthly

seminal

seminar

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“Seminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seminal. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of seminal

adjective

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