inflection point

[in-flek-shuhn point]

noun

1. Also called point of inflection. Also called flex point. Mathematics.,  a point on a curve at which the curvature changes from convex to concave or vice versa.

2. a point at which a major or decisive change takes place; critical point.

   We’re at an inflection point where we’ll see the technology move forward at a much faster pace.

Word History and Origins

Origin of inflection point¹

First recorded in 1715–25

Example Sentences

“The U.S. is at an inflection point,” a spokesperson for LGBTQ+ rights organization GLAAD, who declined to provide their name out of fear of harassment, told Salon.

From Salon

Americans are paying attention to the current political moment to see what the rise in socialist candidates like himself means, he said, and that’s an inflection point critical to determining the Democratic Party’s future.

From Salon

"We're at an inflection point between those who argue that autocracy is the best way forward and those who understand that democracy is essential," Biden said in 2021.

From BBC

As both Bell and Oliver pointed out, that’s precisely why Kimmel’s benching, temporarily though it turned out to be, is a political inflection point.

From Salon

But this is an inflection point.

From Salon