inflection
noun
in·flec·tion in-ˈflek-shən 
1
: change in pitch or loudness of the voice
2
a
: the change of form that words undergo to mark such distinctions as those of case, gender, number, tense, person, mood, or voice
b
: a form, suffix, or element involved in such variation
c
: accidence
3
: the act or result of curving or bending : bend
4
a
: change in curvature of an arc or curve from concave to convex or conversely
b
: inflection point
Did you know?
Changing the pitch, tone, or loudness of our words are ways we communicate meaning in speech, though not on the printed page. A rising inflection at the end of a sentence generally indicates a question, and a falling inflection indicates a statement, for example. Another way of inflecting words is by adding endings: -s to make a noun plural, -ed to put a verb in the past tense, -er to form the comparative form of an adjective, and so on.
Synonyms
- angle
- arc
- arch
- bend
- bow
- crook
- curvature
- curve
- turn
- wind
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
She spoke with no inflection. She read the lines with an upward inflection. Most English adjectives do not require inflection. “Gone” and “went” are inflections of the verb “go.” English has fewer inflections than many other languages.
Recent Examples on the Web One way or the other, all leaders face inflection points. 
Vince Molinaro, Forbes, 4 Aug. 2022 Alongside these interviews, creative cinematic reenactments help bring their major inflection points to life. Joe Otterson, Variety, 3 Aug. 2022 Her piercing, feisty sound was instantly recognizable, with unmitigated twang coloring every phrase and inflection. Barry Mazor, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2022 As soon as the data is captured, AI is used to measure inflection, pitch and emotional cues that human observers may often not recognize. John Reites, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022 Then came the movie years when my friends and I would sit in the dark to our hearts’ content, memorizing his every look and action and inflection. Liz Smith, Good Housekeeping, 20 July 2022 For example, its answer to Rosina sings with an R&B inflection, its Count Almaviva nods to neo-soul, and its Bartolo goes full gospel blues. Hannah Edgar, chicagotribune.com, 17 Mar. 2022 The most concrete layer, called the surface structure, captured facts about the overt shape of the sentence (word order, inflection, and pronunciation). Geoffrey K. Pullum, National Review, 17 Feb. 2022 What’s on the other side of that inflection is worth thinking about, including the potential benefits — and costs — of the fairer theatrical future many people are working hard to create. New York Times, 8 June 2022 See More
Vince Molinaro, Forbes, 4 Aug. 2022 Alongside these interviews, creative cinematic reenactments help bring their major inflection points to life. Joe Otterson, Variety, 3 Aug. 2022 Her piercing, feisty sound was instantly recognizable, with unmitigated twang coloring every phrase and inflection. Barry Mazor, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2022 As soon as the data is captured, AI is used to measure inflection, pitch and emotional cues that human observers may often not recognize. John Reites, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022 Then came the movie years when my friends and I would sit in the dark to our hearts’ content, memorizing his every look and action and inflection. Liz Smith, Good Housekeeping, 20 July 2022 For example, its answer to Rosina sings with an R&B inflection, its Count Almaviva nods to neo-soul, and its Bartolo goes full gospel blues. Hannah Edgar, chicagotribune.com, 17 Mar. 2022 The most concrete layer, called the surface structure, captured facts about the overt shape of the sentence (word order, inflection, and pronunciation). Geoffrey K. Pullum, National Review, 17 Feb. 2022 What’s on the other side of that inflection is worth thinking about, including the potential benefits — and costs — of the fairer theatrical future many people are working hard to create. New York Times, 8 June 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1531, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Phrases Containing inflection
Kids Definition
inflection
noun
in·flec·tion in-ˈflek-shən
1
: a change in the pitch of a person's voice
2
: a change in a word that shows a grammatical difference (as of number, person, or tense)
Medical Definition
inflection
noun
in·flec·tion
variants or chiefly British inflexion
in-ˈflek-shən
: the act or result of curving or bending
inflections
noun
as in curvatures
something that curves or is curved the inflection of the river is even more obvious when viewed from the summit of the nearby mountain Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- curvatures
- curves
- bends
- angles
- turns
- winds
- arcs
- arches
- bows
- crooks
- twists
- folds
- curls
- corners
- slopes
- curlicues
- convolutions
- swirls
- reflections
- loops
- windings
- rings
- coils
- inclinations
- warps
- inclines
- ringlets
- circles
- curlycues
- buckles
- spirals
- kinks
- rounds
- flexures
- declines
- incurvatures
- hairpins
- turnoffs
- doglegs