inflection
noun
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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.
Synonyms
Examples of inflection in a Sentence
Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024
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Florida hits differently in the Panhandle, where the sand is a brighter a shade of white, the water a deeper hue of emerald and blue, and a distinct and delightful Southern inflection permeates the air.
—Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2024
Under the helm of Grammy-winning producer Sammy Soso, some of Tyla’s vocals are isolated during the middle of the song to create a haunting loop of rhythms and inflections.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024
Context, tone, and inflection will be preserved, and businesses will accelerate on the energy of the untapped collective knowledge.
—Beena Ammanath, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
The varied soundscapes, elastic tonal inflections, and diverse structural approaches render the album as a neonic funhouse, except the distortion here only brings more clarity to the personal and creative DNA of the 28-year-old Philadelphia artist.
—Peter A. Berry, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024
Throughout the interview, the actress — who was born to British parents and spent much of her childhood in Bournemouth, England, before eventually moving to Orlando, Florida — spoke mostly in an American accent, using an English inflection on a few select words.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024
Throughout the interview, the actress — who was born to British parents and spent much of her childhood in Bournemouth, England before eventually moving to Orlando, Florida — largely spoke in an American accent, while some words carried an English inflection.
—Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024
Some simple active listening gestures can include mirroring the other's body language and tone of voice, using the inflection of the voice to convey sympathy, and leaning forward slightly or nodding occasionally.
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—Rachel Wells, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inflection.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near inflection
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“Inflection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflection. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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inflection
noun
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inflection
noun
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