loaded question

Idioms  

1. A question heavy with meaning or emotional impact, as in When he inquired after Helen's ex-husband, that was a loaded question. This term employs loaded in the sense of “charged with hidden implication.” [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

Then there’s Scott, who asked Harris a loaded question during a recent news conference: “Who do you like more, JK Scott or Cameron Dicker?”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 2, 2025

“How do I feel about the word gerontocracy? It’s a loaded question, and it’s a third rail,” she said.

From Slate • Sep. 7, 2023

A: This is a loaded question if ever there was one.

From Washington Post • Mar. 22, 2023

"It's a very loaded question and I think people know that," she explained.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2022

Now, that’s a loaded question, I think, and I almost laugh.

From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell