English vocabulary · C1
Rhetorical
/rɪˈtɔːrɪkəl/ · adj.
Rhetorical is when a question is asked just to make a point, not to get an answer. The speaker already knows what people will think.
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Example sentences
- Her rhetorical question left the room silent.
- He asked a rhetorical question, then smiled.
Word origin and roots
from Greek
- rhetor — speaker (from Greek)
Synonyms and nuances
- LEADING — guiding toward an answer (Guiding Toward an Answer)
- LOADED — carrying a hidden meaning (Carrying a Hidden Meaning)
- POINTED — aimed to make a point (Aimed to Make a Point)
Words with the same root
rhetor — speaker
- rhetorician — a skilled public speaker
Lesson notes
Rhetorical is when a question is asked just to make a point, not to get an answer. The speaker already knows what people will think.
Related: leading, loaded, pointed. Use rhetorical when a question needs no real answer.
Her rhetorical question left the room silent. He asked a rhetorical question, then smiled.
From Greek. Rhetor- means speaker. A speaker who asks but expects no real answer, that is rhetorical.