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

What Could Be Next The most likely path for funnel-neck outerwear is not a crash after fall but a gradual settling into classic status, with a few specific inflection points worth watching. — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026

Nearly all of our East of Eden characters are at inflection points. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

His own course correction arrives at a key inflection point for contemporary design. — Adrian Madlener, Curbed, 30 Sep. 2026

The industry is at an inflection point, demanding evolution, investment, and a willingness to rethink business models. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 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