inflection point

noun

1

: a moment when significant change occurs or may occur : turning point

At 18, Bobby is at an inflection point that will largely determine the course of his life.

—Stacy Perman

… the gradual move away from big-iron machines toward work stations and personal computers has been going on for years in corporate America—but the inflection point came suddenly.

—Steve Lohr

It depends on us, on the choices we make, particularly at certain inflection points in history; particularly when big changes are happening and everything seems up for grabs.

—Barack Obama

2

mathematics : a point on a curve that separates an arc concave upward from one concave downward and vice versa

Examples of inflection point in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 2007 inflection point looks less significant when zooming out to a broader timeframe, some experts say. —Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 12 June 2026

Global aid is at an inflection point. —Alex Daruty, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026

JPMorgan initiates Kontoor Brands as overweight JPMorgan says the stock is at an inflection point. —Michael Bloom, CNBC, 8 June 2026

When the Washington Nationals departed for Arizona on Wednesday, their season was at an inflection point. —Danielle Allentuck, Washington Post, 7 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1708, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for inflection point

• adjoint
• anoint
• appoint
• checkpoint
• conjoint
• disjoint
• endpoint
• gunpoint
• midpoint
• nonpoint
• pinpoint
• standpoint