Loaded Question
Asking a question that smuggles in an unproven assumption, so any direct answer concedes it.
- informal
A loaded (or complex) question builds a controversial, unestablished assumption into its wording, so that any straightforward yes-or-no answer commits the respondent to that assumption. It bundles two questions into one and presumes the answer to the hidden first part.
Examples
- “Have you stopped cheating on your exams?” — either a yes or a no admits you were cheating.
- “Why does your department waste so much money?” — the question presumes the department wastes money.
Why it works & how to counter
Persuasive because refusing to answer looks evasive. Counter it by separating out the hidden assumption and rejecting it first: “I never cheated, so the question doesn't apply.”