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
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
Steve LohrIt 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
Barack Obama2
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 deal became an inflection point of this year’s legislative session.
—Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 25 May 2024
But that excitement seemed to reach on inflection point on Wednesday, when shares of both companies began to slump.
—Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 16 May 2024
On the other hand, close study of the disaster’s first 24 hours, before the cascade of failures carried reactor 1 beyond any hope of salvation, reveals clear inflection points where minor differences would have prevented events from spiraling out of control.
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Oct. 2011
Still, the additional new studio space comes at a time when there is concern that television and movie production is at an inflection point in the streaming age.
—Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for inflection point 
Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 25 May 2024
But that excitement seemed to reach on inflection point on Wednesday, when shares of both companies began to slump.
—Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 16 May 2024
On the other hand, close study of the disaster’s first 24 hours, before the cascade of failures carried reactor 1 beyond any hope of salvation, reveals clear inflection points where minor differences would have prevented events from spiraling out of control.
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Oct. 2011
Still, the additional new studio space comes at a time when there is concern that television and movie production is at an inflection point in the streaming age.
—Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for inflection point
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inflection point.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Inflection point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflection%20point. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.
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