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 Kerry's activism reflects seminal moments from her younger years. — Diane Cole, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026 The rap superstar and 25-time Grammy winner has been in the news amidst his global Jay-Z 30 Tour concerts to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his debut album Reasonable Doubt and the 25th anniversary of his seminal The Blueprint. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026 In 2001, the brilliant columnist Robert Lipsyte wrote a seminal column for The New York Times on the ugly status of college sports in American higher education. — Bruce Svare, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2026 The 724-foot-high, 61-story One Dalton was designed by architect Henry Cobb, the architect behind Boston’s seminal John Hancock Tower (now called 200 Clarendon Street). — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for seminal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for seminal

Adjective

Just 3% of respondents expect electricity demand from AI to be lower than forecast; a majority see the technology as becoming more influential than innovations in renewable energy over the next decade.

— Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026
The backstory One of a raft of Six Senses openings, the hotel is owned by the influential architect Jonathan Leitersdorf.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of influential

Adjective

Police on Tuesday arrested a suspect in the arson attack that charred the historic city hall in Limoges, in central France, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said, adding that the person may not have acted alone.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
On Saturday alone, at least 2,400 people were arrested after rioters in cities across France clashed with police, set cars on fire, stormed public buildings, looted stores and engulfed a historic city hall in flames.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of historic

Adjective

Helium plays an important role in wind, solar and nuclear energy production, space exploration, medical imaging and research.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Education and giving back are important values to the family as the project represents for them a broader impact within the natural diamond industry.

— Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of important

Adjective

Without an authoritative accounting, Eisenkot argues, the country cannot fully reckon with the catastrophe.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
Our colleague Helen Branswell was a renowned infectious disease reporter who earned the respect and admiration of experts and public health officials with her authoritative, prescient reporting on the flu, polio, Ebola and the Covid-19 pandemic.

— Elaine Chen, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of authoritative

Adjective

Key Takeaways These artificial channels are up to five times more selective for lithium, offering a simpler way to extract the critical battery material.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
Seeking to acquire as wide a tent of support as possible, Student List purposefully left its position on most critical issues outside of corruption vague and noncommittal.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of critical

Adjective

The church — on the corner of Lucile Avenue and Griffith Park Boulevard — has a rich Hollywood history, having once served as the home to the groundbreaking Asian American theater company the East West Players.

— Mickey Rapkin, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026
As has been widely and obviously pointed out, Silicon Valley’s decision to tout AI as a groundbreaking technology that might make your life better, but could also just as easily take your job and destroy the world, wasn’t the best PR move.

— Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of groundbreaking

Browse Nearby Words

semimonthly

seminal

seminar

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“Seminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seminal. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of seminal

adjective

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