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

Sharma’s resignation in February 2026 landed at almost exactly the inflection point. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2026

Some pundits saw my decision as an inflection point for the sport. — Chris Borland, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Jimmy Lee, founder of Wealth Consulting Group, thinks a Fed rate hike is unlikely and believes an inflection point in the housing market and related stocks is nearing. — Frank Holland, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026

This matters to Warsh because Korea’s sizable, open economy often serves as an early-warning system for global inflection points. — William Pesek, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 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