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infinitive

[in-fin-i-tiv] / ɪnˈfɪn ɪ tɪv /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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Sitaridou's analysis of the Romeyka infinitive is key.

From Science Daily Apr. 2, 2024

Correct French would not have used the infinitive “tuer,” but rather the past participle, ending with an “e” to agree with the female writer, Ms. Marchal.

From New York Times Nov. 20, 2021

His father had strong views about ending a sentence with a preposition and thought it a “heinous sin” to split an infinitive.

From Washington Post May 29, 2019

With the infinitive left unsplit – "The board voted to immediately approve the casino" – it can only be the approval.

From The Guardian Aug. 15, 2014

With the infinitive, use forbid: She was forbidden to go.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

Do you go out of your way to avoid splitting infinitives, make gargling noises in the “10 items or less” queue, and have strong feelings about the word “whom”? Take a jersey: you’re team prescriptivist.

From The Guardian Oct. 7, 2017

English teachers were once satisfied if they could prevent their pupils from splitting infinitives.

From The Wall Street Journal Nov. 29, 2015

This happens at all magazines, of course; at Slate, we recently stopped capitalizing, in headlines, to in infinitives: “To Be or Not To Be” became “To Be or Not to Be.”

From Slate Apr. 8, 2015

In that language, infinitives were an unsplittable single word: to split is dilaminare.

From Time Aug. 1, 2014

The unsplit versions sound more elegant to me, though I can’t be sure that my ears haven’t been contaminated by a habit of cravenly unsplitting infinitives to avoid spitballs from the Gotcha!

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker




Vocabulary lists containing infinitive


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