trick question
noun
: a deceptive question that is intended to make one give an answer that is not correct or that causes difficulty
Examples of trick question in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Of course, that’s a trick question.
—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
26 May 2026
That’s a bit of a trick question, because exercise at any time of day is better than no exercise.
—
Gretchen Reynolds,
Washington Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Well, that's a trick question, because she's admitted to (probably) losing one of the multiple statuettes in her collection of golden hardware.
—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
That’s a trick question; the answer is no.
—
Alan Henry,
PC Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
So damn, that was almost a trick question with so much stuff.
—
Preezy Brown,
Rolling Stone,
6 Feb. 2026
This, of course, is a trick question in so far as whether the novel can be defined at all—or perhaps defined only in its negation.
—
Ocean Vuong
september 6,
Literary Hub,
6 Sep. 2022
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
26 May 2026
That’s a bit of a trick question, because exercise at any time of day is better than no exercise.
—
Gretchen Reynolds,
Washington Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Well, that's a trick question, because she's admitted to (probably) losing one of the multiple statuettes in her collection of golden hardware.
—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
That’s a trick question; the answer is no.
—
Alan Henry,
PC Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
So damn, that was almost a trick question with so much stuff.
—
Preezy Brown,
Rolling Stone,
6 Feb. 2026
This, of course, is a trick question in so far as whether the novel can be defined at all—or perhaps defined only in its negation.
—
Ocean Vuong
september 6,
Literary Hub,
6 Sep. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Trick question.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trick%20question. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
