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

It boils down to a single, loaded question: Is BTS straying too far from K-pop in trying to woo the world?

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

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

Ah, a nice, loaded question from one of my favorite Twitter followers.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 13, 2023

This loaded question is the reason I didn’t want anyone to know I was dying.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera