Inflect
verb
To change the form of a word to express a different grammatical function or attribute such as tense, mood, voice, aspect, person, number, gender, and case.
In many languages, you have to inflect the verb to match the subject.
Often appears as...
- inflect a verb
- inflect a noun
Usage tips
Academic,General
verb
To change in pitch or tone of the voice.
She inflected her voice to emphasize the point.
Often appears as...
- inflect the voice
- inflect with emotion
verb
To change, influence or alter something.
New technology has inflected the way we communicate.
Often appears as...
- inflect communication
- inflect behavior
verb
To change the form of a word to express a different grammatical function or attribute such as tense, mood, voice, aspect, person, number, gender, and case.
In many languages, you have to inflect the verb to match the subject.
Often appears as...
- inflect a verb
- inflect a noun
Usage tips
Academic,General
verb
To change in pitch or tone of the voice.
She inflected her voice to emphasize the point.
Often appears as...
- inflect the voice
- inflect with emotion
verb
To change, influence or alter something.
New technology has inflected the way we communicate.
Often appears as...
- inflect communication
- inflect behavior
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Grammatical Agreement
Inflect to match nouns and pronouns in number, like 'she runs' versus 'they run'.
Adding 's' to 'run' inflects it to agree with 'she'.
Pro Tip 2/3Not in English
English has limited inflection compared to other languages, relying more on word order.
English uses 'the' for all nouns, it doesn't inflect for gender or case.
Pro Tip 3/3Past Tense Complexity
Inflection can make verbs regular ('talked') or irregular ('spoke') in past tense.
We inflect 'talk' to 'talked' but 'speak' to 'spoke'.
Pro Tip 1/3Grammatical Agreement
Inflect to match nouns and pronouns in number, like 'she runs' versus 'they run'.
Adding 's' to 'run' inflects it to agree with 'she'.
Pro Tip 2/3Not in English
English has limited inflection compared to other languages, relying more on word order.
English uses 'the' for all nouns, it doesn't inflect for gender or case.
Pro Tip 3/3Past Tense Complexity
Inflection can make verbs regular ('talked') or irregular ('spoke') in past tense.
We inflect 'talk' to 'talked' but 'speak' to 'spoke'.
Pro Tip 1/3Grammatical Agreement
Inflect to match nouns and pronouns in number, like 'she runs' versus 'they run'.
Adding 's' to 'run' inflects it to agree with 'she'.
Pro Tip 2/3Not in English
English has limited inflection compared to other languages, relying more on word order.
English uses 'the' for all nouns, it doesn't inflect for gender or case.
Pro Tip 3/3Past Tense Complexity
Inflection can make verbs regular ('talked') or irregular ('spoke') in past tense.
We inflect 'talk' to 'talked' but 'speak' to 'spoke'.
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Video examples
The enchanting music of...
They're both highly spatial and highly inflected -- meaning that subtle changes can affect the entire meaning of both signs and sounds.
Video examples
The enchanting music of...
They're both highly spatial and highly inflected -- meaning that subtle changes can affect the entire meaning of both signs and sounds.
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
Jens Martin Skibsted
Danish Designer
Looking at the numbers, the transatlantic slave trade matches the Holocaust in horror - maybe even without counting subsidiary effects like internal strife and deaths inflected on the continent, death during transport, death during ownership, collapse of African economies, and such.
Quote examples
Dick Cavett
American Entertainer
The trick to writing for people is, you have to be able to turn them on in your head. And know how they'd word something or how they'd inflect it.
Quote examples
Jens Martin Skibsted
Danish Designer
Looking at the numbers, the transatlantic slave trade matches the Holocaust in horror - maybe even without counting subsidiary effects like internal strife and deaths inflected on the continent, death during transport, death during ownership, collapse of African economies, and such.
Quote examples
Dick Cavett
American Entertainer
The trick to writing for people is, you have to be able to turn them on in your head. And know how they'd word something or how they'd inflect it.
Example 1 of 2
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