inflection
noun
in·flec·tion
in-ˈflek-shən 
1
: change in pitch or loudness of the voice
2
a
: the change of form that words undergo to mark such distinctions as those of case, gender, number, tense, person, mood, or voice
b
: a form, suffix, or element involved in such variation
c
3
: the act or result of curving or bending : bend
4
a
: change in curvature of an arc or curve from concave to convex or conversely
b
Did you know?
Changing the pitch, tone, or loudness of our words are ways we communicate meaning in speech, though not on the printed page. A rising inflection at the end of a sentence generally indicates a question, and a falling inflection indicates a statement, for example. Another way of inflecting words is by adding endings: -s to make a noun plural, -ed to put a verb in the past tense, -er to form the comparative form of an adjective, and so on.
Examples of inflection in a Sentence
She spoke with no inflection.
She read the lines with an upward inflection.
Most English adjectives do not require inflection.
“Gone” and “went” are inflections of the verb “go.”
English has fewer inflections than many other languages.
Recent Examples on the Web
Throughout the entire episode, Hilaria speaks English in an American accent with some ever-so-slight inflections, a voice that sounds a world away from the viral clips of her from 2020 and earlier.
—
Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
Bob has gone through many vocal inflections, and Dylan fans have come up with clever nicknames for many of them.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 18 Jan. 2025
With jazz and soul inflections, her music has established her as a perennial force in contemporary R&B, earning her 11 Grammy nominations including one win for best traditional R&B performance in 2021.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 9 Feb. 2025
The entire weekend had this Silicon Valley inflection, based on interviews and attendance at a half-dozen events.
—Jason Andrew, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflection
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Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
Bob has gone through many vocal inflections, and Dylan fans have come up with clever nicknames for many of them.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 18 Jan. 2025
With jazz and soul inflections, her music has established her as a perennial force in contemporary R&B, earning her 11 Grammy nominations including one win for best traditional R&B performance in 2021.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 9 Feb. 2025
The entire weekend had this Silicon Valley inflection, based on interviews and attendance at a half-dozen events.
—Jason Andrew, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflection
Cite this Entry
“Inflection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflection. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inflection
noun
in·flec·tion
in-ˈflek-shən
1
: a change in the pitch or tone of a person's voice
2
: the change in the form of a word showing its case, gender, number, person, tense, mood, voice, or comparison
inflectional
adjective
-shnəl
-shən-ᵊl
Medical Definition
inflection
noun
in·flec·tion
variants
or chiefly British inflexion
: the act or result of curving or bending
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