a seminal effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a seminal effort" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a significant or groundbreaking contribution to a field or subject. Example: "The research conducted by the team was a seminal effort that changed the way we understand climate change."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

That was a seminal campaign!

The Guardian - Tech

This seminal effort by Noyes, with his inclusion of Paul Rand and Charles Eames as consultants, is considered to be the first comprehensive corporate design program in America.

Wikipedia

Much of the work on tumor evolution models flows from the seminal efforts of Desper et al. (1999) on inferring oncogenetic trees from array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) profiles of tumor cells.

Bioinformatics

In August 2011, Nature published a seminal study performed by the joint efforts of the International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium and the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2. 9 A total of 465,434 SNPs were studied in 9772 cases and 17376 controls, and after a refined analysis a list of non-HLA candidate genes related to MS was presented (Table 1).

Application of Clinical Genetics

Nonetheless, the study by Tang and colleagues (2010) is a seminal account demonstrating the utility of community-wide efforts to understand gene function using large-scale mouse knockout technology and systematic phenotyping.

Alcohol research : current reviews

Such human touches, of course, are part of the legal strategy Mr. Olson and his law partner on this case, David Boies, who have cast their efforts to overturn Proposition 8 as a seminal civil rights struggle.

The New York Times

The efforts they devoted to education also had a seminal importance in subsequent Jewish history.

Encyclopedia Britannica

By asking you to explain a seminal moment in history that you are referencing in your efforts to shape opinion in the present?

Huffington Post

Describes the methods of psychological torture used against him and his efforts to end apartheid in South Africa once he was freed, including a seminal meeting he helped arrange between the African National Congress and leaders in the South African community.

The New Yorker

A seminal result?

The New York Times

A seminal moment?

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a project, use "a seminal effort" to highlight its profound and lasting impact on a field. For example: "The Apollo program was a seminal effort in space exploration."

Common error

Avoid using "a seminal effort" to describe any ordinary activity. Ensure the described activity has a truly groundbreaking and influential impact to warrant the adjective "seminal".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a seminal effort" functions as an adjective phrase modifying the noun "effort". It highlights the significant and influential nature of the effort being described. Ludwig provides various examples where "seminal" is used to denote groundbreaking events or works.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a seminal effort" is used to describe a pioneering and highly influential endeavor that has a lasting impact. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct but is infrequent. Although examples were not found, this phrase is most suited for formal and academic contexts, and it is used to emphasize the importance of a particular undertaking. Alternatives include "a groundbreaking endeavor" and "a pivotal undertaking".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a groundbreaking endeavor

Replaces "seminal" with "groundbreaking" and "effort" with "endeavor" to emphasize its innovative aspect.

a pivotal undertaking

Substitutes "seminal" with "pivotal" and "effort" with "undertaking" to suggest it is a critical turning point.

a pioneering attempt

Replaces "seminal" with "pioneering" and "effort" with "attempt" to stress its role as a first of its kind.

a landmark contribution

Replaces "seminal effort" with "landmark contribution" indicating its lasting significance.

a foundational initiative

Substitutes "seminal" with "foundational" and "effort" with "initiative" to highlight its role as a base for future work.

an influential endeavor

Replaces "seminal" with "influential" and "effort" with "endeavor" to suggest its important impact.

a transformative undertaking

Replaces "seminal" with "transformative" and "effort" with "undertaking" to emphasize its capacity to create lasting change.

a precedent-setting activity

Replaces "seminal" with "precedent-setting" and "effort" with "activity" to underline its establishment of a new standard.

a key undertaking

Changes "seminal" to "key" and "effort" to "undertaking" to show a crucial action.

a significant intervention

Replaces "seminal" with "significant" and "effort" with "intervention" indicating a major action taken.

FAQs

How can I use "a seminal effort" in a sentence?

Use "a seminal effort" to describe a pioneering work that greatly influences a field. For instance, "The development of the internet was "a seminal effort" in communication technology."

What are some alternatives to "a seminal effort"?

You can use alternatives like "a groundbreaking endeavor", "a pivotal undertaking", or "a landmark contribution depending on the context.

Is "seminal" always a positive descriptor?

Generally, yes. "Seminal" implies significant influence and is usually used to describe something positive and transformative, though its significance can be debated.

What makes an effort "seminal"?

An effort is considered "seminal" if it establishes a new field, introduces a paradigm shift, or has a lasting impact that shapes future developments. It's something that serves as a foundation for later work.