inflection

noun

in-ˈflek-shən How to pronounce inflection (audio)
Definition of inflectionnext
as in curvature
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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inflection The Hormuz crisis appears to have caused an upward inflection in this trend. — George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 Two characters who were stressed about keeping a secret had vocal inflections that could only be described as banal. — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 10 June 2026 Practicing in the mirror, what does your voice inflection look like? — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 9 June 2026 Here, Jay seemed aggrieved, almost overly intense, demonstrative with his body language and vocal inflection. — Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for inflection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflection
  1. curvature
  2. curve
  3. angle
  4. bend
  5. turn
Noun
  • McCoy lives with severe spinal curvature disorder and a chest protrusion caused by a childhood surgery.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • This cushion was designed by physical therapists to fit the curvature of your back.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 31 July 2026
Definition of curvature
Noun
  • Built partly to fit the curve of the Kilner Bank behind, much of the noise generated inside is retained despite all four corners being open.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • At the same time, today’s retail environment benefits from those decisions being backed by data, especially as trends, size curves, channels and customer preferences shift faster than traditional planning cycles.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of curve
Noun
  • The Angle Wedge Pillow's distinctive triangular shape cradles your legs and knees at a precise 45-degree angle to relieve tension in your back, while the Knee-T keeps legs, hips and spine in a neutral position to reduce pressure on your lower back.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • But the question remained unsolved for polygons with irrational angles.
    — Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of angle
Noun
  • In this scenario, the tree will compensate for that bend by growing thicker wood on the lower side of its trunk.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Brace your stomach and push your hips back with a slight bend in your knees.
    — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of bend
Noun
  • After a slow start to his debut campaign, the striker thrived under Carrick to reach 11 league goals, nine of which came after the turn of the year.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But why are so many young men convinced their appearance needs to be fixed, and when does self-improvement turn into self-harm?
    — Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of turn

Browse Nearby Words

inflecting
inflection
inflections
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inflection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflection. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on inflection

Nglish: Translation of inflection for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about inflection

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All