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
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
Not a trick question, numerically speaking: What do those three code sections have in common?
—Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Jason Lloyd Dallas Mavericks Is this a trick question?
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
This is a trick question, because you’re not supposed to eat or drink anything before going to bed.
—Maria Bamford, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
Every studio would be like, ‘Is this a trick question?
—Rance Collins, IndieWire, 2 July 2025
The guitarist was in good spirits, but would occasionally toss out a trick question to test their depth of knowledge.
—Steve Appleford, SPIN, 17 Feb. 2025
What is your overall performance? a) Better than a 5% gain
b) Between 0% and 5% gain
c) Around zero
d) Between 0% and 5% loss
e) Worse than a 5% loss
This is not a trick question.
—Philip Maymin, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
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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
Not a trick question, numerically speaking: What do those three code sections have in common?
—Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Jason Lloyd Dallas Mavericks Is this a trick question?
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
This is a trick question, because you’re not supposed to eat or drink anything before going to bed.
—Maria Bamford, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
Every studio would be like, ‘Is this a trick question?
—Rance Collins, IndieWire, 2 July 2025
The guitarist was in good spirits, but would occasionally toss out a trick question to test their depth of knowledge.
—Steve Appleford, SPIN, 17 Feb. 2025
What is your overall performance? a) Better than a 5% gain
b) Between 0% and 5% gain
c) Around zero
d) Between 0% and 5% loss
e) Worse than a 5% loss
This is not a trick question.
—Philip Maymin, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trick question.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trick%20question. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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