A rhetorical question is a question someone asks without expecting an answer. The question might not have an answer, or it might have an obvious answer. So, why would you ask a question and not expect an answer? Don’t the two go hand in hand?

Well, sometimes these questions are asked to punch up a point. If the answer is glaringly obvious, it will make that answer stand out. Sometimes it’s used to persuade someone. Other times, it’s used for literary effect.

When a writer poses a question to the reader, they can spend some time in thoughtful contemplation. Enjoy the following rhetorical question examples to see how many you’ve encountered in your own life.

Contemplatively meaning

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