A rhetorical question is one for which the questioner does not expect a direct answer: in many cases it may be intended to start a discourse, or as a means of displaying or emphasize the speaker’s or author’s opinion on a topic.
What is the synonym of answer? Frequently Asked Questions About answer
Some common synonyms of answer are rejoinder, reply, response, and retort. While all these words mean “something spoken, written, or done in return,” answer implies the satisfying of a question, demand, call, or need.
Likewise What is it called to answer a question with a question?
The word is maieutics, also known as the Socratic method, answering a question with a question, often to invoke more thought into the questioner, to answer the questions they ask themselves.
What is the meaning of no answer? Definition of nonanswer
: a response that fails to address the subject of a question : an uninformative or unsatisfactory answer The answer to that question is not easy to come by. ”
Does every question have an answer?
Originally Answered: Does every question have an answer? Every question can be answered. But many questions can’t be answered with absolute certainty that the answer will be right – even if the person answering is an expert.
What is the opposite answer? What is the opposite of answer?
| contradict | counter |
|---|---|
| disaffirm | deny |
| disclaim | repudiate |
| controvert | rebut |
| undermine | disallow |
Which is another word?
In this page you can discover 23 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for which, like: that, and which, and-that, whichever, what, who, whatever, thus, therefore, for-which and whereby.
What is the antonym of normal answer? Answer: The antonym of normal is abnormal.
Can a question be an answer?
A response could be a question. Question. (lol) Well, we can sometimes answer with another question. … then you can answer with “Will you?” or “what would you do in a situation like this?” If you are not sure or if you want to throw the question back to the person who just asked you.
What are types of questions? Let’s start with everyday types of questions people ask, and the answers they’re likely to elicit.
- Closed questions (aka the ‘Polar’ question) …
- Open questions. …
- Probing questions. …
- Leading questions. …
- Loaded questions. …
- Funnel questions. …
- Recall and process questions. …
- Rhetorical questions.
Is it wrong to answer a question with a question?
It can be considered rude to answer a question with another question because it can make a person feel like they are being dismissed or toyed with instead of receiving an honest answer. For example: Me: “Do you know what happened to the pie that I had put in the refrigerator yesterday?”
Is no answer A answer? No answer is an answer because he didn’t respond and not responding is already a response.
What is a non question?
non-question Definitions and Synonyms
noun. DEFINITIONS1. 1. a question to which the answer is so clear that it’s not worth asking.
Is silence a yes or no? Silence means yes when the other person has confirmed that it means yes. And maybe not then if they are being coerced to give an answer. Silence means no when the other person has confirmed that it means no. And maybe not then, if they are being coerced to give an answer.
Will God answer our questions?
While God is not obligated to answer our questions, He will and does when in HIS perfection knows in answering a question for us it will help our walk and purpose with Him. Most of our questions if not all of them can and are answered in HIS word. There is not a issue in life that HE has not addressed in the Bible.
Does God answer every question? God answers each question with an explanation of why these things happened. For example, he tells the man that he prevented his car from starting because if it had, the man would have been hit by a drunk driver.
Why do people ask questions?
Here’s why asking questions is important: It helps you uncover the challenges you’re facing and generate better solutions to solve those problems. … If you’re asking a question, you’re not rushing in to provide the answer, give the solution, or take on the challenge.
What is the opposite of 2? The opposite reciprocal of 2 would be -1/2.
What is the opposite of 7?
To find the opposite of the positive number 7, we simply add a negative sign to get −7. Both 7 and −7 are seven units from 0 on the number line, so 7 and −7 are opposites of each other.
What is the opposite of 4? The opposite reciprocal of the number 4 would be -1/4.
Who synonyms English?
synonyms for who
- which.
- that fact.
- that one.
- that other.
- the one in question.
What does inwhich mean? Originally Answered: What does ” in which” mean? It means the thing after “in which” is used happened in/during the thing before it. The sentence you gave means that during the punishment, the student has to stay at school after everyone left.
What is a synonym for May?
What is another word for may?
| could | might |
|---|---|
| may actually | could perhaps |
| could possibly | could potentially |
| may potentially | might perhaps |
| might possibly | might potentially |
Examples…
Q: Why is the sky blue?
A: Because God made it that way.(A kid to their parent)
Q: Why do I have to clean my room?
A: Because I said so.
What is it called when someone answers a question this way? I’ve said «That’s not an answer, that’s a ‘cop-out'» but that’s not right.
Mohit
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asked Nov 27, 2011 at 21:53
9
I would personally call that being evasive.
answered Nov 27, 2011 at 22:23
BrendonBrendon
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When you do this you’re dodging the question.
This may happen when the responder either doesn’t know the answer and wants to avoid embarrassment, or when the responder is being interrogated or questioned in debate, and wants to avoid giving a direct response.
Similarly, from a comment, this is sometimes called «ducking the question» (h/t Scott).
Dodging the question is a form of deflection:
Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin dēflectere, from flectere to bend.
answered Nov 27, 2011 at 22:37
Monica CellioMonica Cellio
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You can also try:
-
Circumlocution
-
Circumbendibus
-
Periphrasis
answered Nov 27, 2011 at 22:37
FlawFlaw
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For me, fob is a good word here, as in:
I fobbed her off with a circumbendibus.
Daniel
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answered Dec 2, 2011 at 9:09
Mel PaddenMel Padden
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tergiversate
to be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
Wordnik
answered Feb 1, 2013 at 2:36
CallithumpianCallithumpian
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Despite all the great synonyms for «lying», my word of choice is «sidestep». Whether it be a parent who does not really know why the sky is blue but needs to save face with their child, or a politician who does not want to get caught answering a question with a horde of reporters recording their every utterance for posterity, the way out of the jam is to «sidestep» with an answer that is somewhere between vague and flat-out lying.
«sidestep»
transitive verb
1: bypass, evade sidestep a question
2: to move out of the way of : avoid sidestep a blow>
intransitive verb
1: to take a side step
2: to avoid an issue or decision
Examples of SIDESTEP
*»She sidestepped the reporter’s question. They’re sidestepping the real issue.»
First Known Use of SIDESTEP: 1900
Related to SIDESTEP: Synonyms: beat, bypass, dodge, get around, shortcut, circumvent, skirt
definition and examples from Merriam-Webster Online
answered Feb 5, 2013 at 18:49
Kristina LopezKristina Lopez
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The best answers above seem to be evade and equivocate, because both are general enough not to imply being deceitful or trickorius.
evade
verb i-ˈvād, ē-
evad·ed evad·ing
intransitive verb
1
: to slip away
2
: to take refuge in escape or avoidance
transitive verb
1
: to elude by dexterity or stratagem
2
a : to avoid facing up to
b : to avoid the performance of : dodge, circumvent; especially : to fail to pay (taxes)
c : to avoid answering directly : turn aside
3
: to be elusive to : baffleequiv·o·cate
intransitive verb i-ˈkwi-və-ˌkāt
equiv·o·cat·ed equiv·o·cat·ing
1
: to use equivocal language especially with intent to deceive
2
: to avoid committing oneself in what one saysequivocal
adjective i-ˈkwi-və-kəl
1
a : subject to two or more interpretations and usually used to mislead or confuse
b : uncertain as an indication or sign
2
a : of uncertain nature or classification
b : of uncertain disposition toward a person or thing : undecided
c : of doubtful advantage, genuineness, or moral rectitude
(Less formal, but perhaps more precise could be dodge, which is often used in the very example of a question being asked.)
answered Jan 30, 2013 at 21:02
vidgetvidget
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Consider prevaricate
to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie.
or equivocate
to use ambiguous or unclear expressions, usually to avoid commitment or in order to mislead; prevaricate or hedge
Note, though, that both are usually used in contexts when the speakers wishes to actively mislead or avoid committing to an answer, rather than just avoiding the need to answer altogether.
answered Jan 30, 2013 at 6:17
1
Two adjectives come to mind: «glib» and «pat».
«Glib» seems to me to imply a swift and deliberately evasive answer, one that may be even somewhat witty.
«Pat» implies to me that the answer is short, requires no thought to make, and almost could be predicted.
Your first example is more glib than pat, for most people. The second example is pat.
answered Apr 10, 2013 at 3:08
Neither «dodgy» nor «evasive» can capture instances where the generic answer is offered in jest. When humor is intended, an anti-joke is being cracked. Examples of anti-jokes:
What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple? The Holocaust
Why did the boy drop his ice cream? Because he was hit by a bus.
Why is the sky blue? Because God made it that way.
answered Feb 1, 2013 at 3:24
SELSEL
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In the world of NLP these types of answers are usually referred to as distortions.
This definition of distorted is based on world renowned linguist Noam Chomsky’s Transformational Generative Grammar.
The examples given are surface structures of distortion called complex equivalence, as referenced in Educational Psychology Casework:
A Practice Guide by Rick Beaver.
So for me these answers are distorted.
MetaEd
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answered Feb 2, 2013 at 11:46
Answer by fiat.
To directly respond to the Original Post: you want to avoid questions that can only be answered by fiat.
This wording is supported by several examples of «(noun) by fiat» or «(verb) by fiat», meaning justified by authority or arbitrary order, as opposed to logic or morality.
You get an all-powerful magical creator with attributes that defy basic logic by fiat. We get… a rock. -Aspie, whywontgodhealamputees.com
Obama’s bombshell amnesty-by-fiat is a subversion of straightforward immigration law. -Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post
Applying a different rule may result in a different result, but both rules are right by fiat, because they define what they purport to represent. — G. Scott Acton, University of California, San Francisco
Measurements can be either (a) made when confirmed empirical theories may be used to support their existence; or (b) made by fiat, based on arbitrary definition. -Ahmed Riahi Belkaoui, Accounting Theory
While the original post is looking for one word, and @Village’s bounty also looks for the word, brevity has its limits. No single word provided here captures that this answering strategy has a brutish quality lacking in reason or moral force. Any discussion of avoidance should use a multi-word phrase that includes «by fiat«.
And in final support of this phrasing, I offer that it is the best damn answer here because I say so.
answered Feb 2, 2013 at 17:41
Bob SteinBob Stein
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Jon Purdy’s suggestion of non-answer is one I’d support.
Currently, only Urban dictionary has a definition of it, but it is to an answer what a non-apology apology is to an apology — you’re pretending to answer (or apologize) but you aren’t really doing so.
answered Feb 2, 2013 at 22:33
Andrew GrimmAndrew Grimm
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I would call them «economic answers»—as they save the responder time.
RegDwigнt
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answered Feb 3, 2013 at 6:17
I would use indirect or evade.
RegDwigнt
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answered Feb 2, 2013 at 12:02
NoahNoah
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Colloquially, someone who does that could be shining you on. As slang, there aren’t many authoritative sources, but it’s very common, as evidenced in this discussion thread from The Straight Dope.
Quote: Originally Posted by NinetyWt
It is very common here in central Mississipppi. And, not just
‘agreeing with someone when you don’t agree with them’ but also
encouraging someone to believe in something which isn’t true, or
valid, or likely to come to pass. As in «he kept sayin’ he was gonna
ask me to prom, but he was just shinin’ me on» or «he kept hollerin’
like he wanted to buy my truck but he was just shinin’ me on».What NinetyWt said. It was in use in norcal in the 1970’s. Dunno about now.
Shining me on is a good form of bullshit. As in, he was bullshitting
me.
answered Jun 23, 2017 at 7:38
I’ve generally referred to this behavior as cagey, especially when it’s clear that someone is unwilling to commit to an answer.
answered Nov 29, 2018 at 18:41
Some people deliberately choose to avoid answering questions. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to get a straight response out of them. However, it’s not as difficult to come up with a word to describe these people. This article will help you with the best words for such cases!
What Do You Call Someone Who Avoids Answering Questions?
There are plenty of choices we can use for this situation. Why not check out the following to see which works best for you:
- Prevaricator
- Equivocate
- Circumvent
- Dodger
- Obfuscator
- Subterfuge
- Pivoter
- Evader
- Fudger
- Avoider
- Welcher
The preferred version is “prevaricate.” It works well to show that someone is happy to avoid answering a question honestly. Usually, they’ll come up with all kinds of random answers that vaguely answer a question without giving anything away that might make them look bad.
Prevaricator
“Prevaricator” is a great way to show that someone avoids answering questions. We can use it to show that someone does not want to tell the truth (often because it reflects badly on them). Instead, they’ll come up with more lies that don’t directly answer anything useful.
The definition of “prevaricate,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “to avoid telling the truth or saying exactly what you think.”
Here are some examples that might be helpful to you:
- I didn’t mean to sound like a prevaricator, but I really couldn’t think of a better way to answer that.
- He is prevaricating again. What can we say now to try and catch him out with his lies?
- She keeps up the prevication. It’s time for more drastic measures!
Equivocate
“Equivocate” works well to show that someone does not like answering questions honestly. While they might still choose to answer, they will avoid the truth as it will often mean that they will admit to something that they have done wrong.
The definition of “equivocate,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “to speak in a way that is intentionally not clear and confusing to other people, especially to hide the truth.”
These examples will help you to make sense of it:
- He keeps equivocating, which is why we’ll never get to the truth!
- You need to stop equivocating the matter and start being honest with us.
- Can we call him out for his equivocation yet? I think I’ve heard enough!
Circumvent
“Circumvent” shows that someone avoids answering questions by stepping around the truth. They will answer a question with clever words that seem to make sense but don’t give the overall picture and don’t satisfy the answer that was expected.
The definition of “circumvent,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “to avoid something, especially cleverly or illegally.”
Some of these examples should help you work this one:
- I didn’t mean to circumvent the question at the time, but you’ve all made it clear that you despise me for it.
- He tried to circumvent the original question, so we should pester him about it.
- Stop circumventing the topic! It’s time you gave us an honest answer!
Dodger
“Dodger” is a simple word we can use to show that someone wants to dodge an answer. It can be a tricky way for them to get out of saying something that might tarnish their reputation, which is why it works well.
The definition of “dodge,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “a clever, dishonest way of avoiding something.”
These examples will help you make sense of it:
- She’s dodging the questions yet again! At this point, how can we ever trust her?
- You’re a dodge, Mr. Walker. Please start answering these questions more honestly in the future!
- You don’t have to be a dodger to annoy people, but it certainly helps when you see their faces!
Obfuscator
“Obfuscator” works well to show that someone refuses to answer a question properly. Instead, they’ll come up with a lot of confusing language and techniques that make people think about nothing in particular. This usually encourages them to drop the original question.
The definition of “obfuscate,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “to make something less clear and harder to understand, especially intentionally.”
These examples will help you make more sense of it:
- That candidate is nothing more than an obfuscator! Don’t listen to a word he says during the debate.
- Stop obfuscating and start answering! We need to know where you stand on this matter before it’s too late.
- Can you just be honest and stop obfuscating? I hate that!
Subterfuge
“Subterfuge” works when we want to talk about the type of answers someone might give. They rarely answer questions, but instead of avoiding them, they come up with clever and tricky answers that are designed to confuse people.
The definition of “subterfuge,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “a trick or a dishonest way of achieving something.”
Here are some examples to help you out:
- You keep feeding us subterfuge, but we’re wise to your tricks now!
- He always comes up with subterfuge, but we can never find a way to phrase our questions that catches him off-guard.
- As far as politicians go, he’s the best there is when it comes to subterfuge! Credit where credit is due!
Pivoter
“Pivoter” is a good way to show that someone doesn’t answer questions correctly. Often, they will “pivot” their viewpoint and original answer to try and suit the needs or question at the time. They do this to please the crowd rather than be honest.
The definition of “pivot,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “to change your opinions, statements, decisions, etc. so that they are different to what they were before.”
Check out these examples to see how it works:
- You’re pivoting again! Why don’t you try and be more honest with us!
- You need to stop being a pivoter. We can’t keep going through the same problems again and again while trying to get an answer from you.
- You pivoted on your point from before Mr. President. Do you stand by this new one now?
Evader
“Evader” works for somebody who needs to escape from an awkward situation. In this case, the awkwardness comes from the question that someone has asked. Evaders will try and get out of the situation entirely rather than come up with an excuse.
The definition of “evade,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “to avoid or escape from someone or something.”
Here are a couple of examples to help you with this one:
- Oh, I wouldn’t worry much about anything he says. He’s notorious for evading the public’s questions.
- You’re an evader, yet again, Mrs. Smith! Please just answer the questions and prove that you had no idea about this scheme.
- Stop being an evader and give me an honest answer!
Fudger
“Fudger” works when we want to show that someone avoids coming to a decision. If a question asks for a final outcome or choice, a fudger will often try to avoid it or come up with an excuse as to why they aren’t equipped to answer it right away.
The definition of “fudge,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “to avoid making a decision or giving a clear answer about something.”
Some of these examples will make more sense of it:
- The Prime Minister is notorious for fudging his answer. Don’t get overzealous because he’ll kick you out.
- I don’t think you can get a straight answer out of a fudger like him, unfortunately.
- You might as well just call him “Fudge.” He’s never answered a question honestly in his life.
Avoider
“Avoider” works well to show that someone is happy to stay away from answering questions. Usually, these questions present a difficult answer for the person who is expected to answer it, so they would rather not say anything at all.
The definition of “avoid,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “to stay away from someone or something, or prevent something from happening, or not allow yourself to do something.”
Maybe some of these examples will help you with this one:
- He is a question avoided, through and through. You won’t get a single answer out of him that will satisfy you.
- Do you have to avoid every single question we through at you? We knew you would be difficult, but not like this!
- I don’t like to answer questions, so you can call me an avoider all you want!
Welcher
“Welcher” works well to show that someone is uncomfortable answering a question. Usually, this word relates to questions that someone might have previously agreed to answer. However, when faced with it, they shy away and try to avoid the truth.
The definition of “welch,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “to avoid doing something you have promised to do, especially not to pay a debt.”
Here are some examples that might help you with this one:
- He is a welcher, and you can never get an honest answer out of him. Honestly, don’t even try!
- You don’t have to be such a welcher. It wouldn’t hurt you to finally answer one of our questions, Mr. President.
- I can’t stand welchers! They always avoid my questions, even when they promised they wouldn’t this time!
You may also like: 3 Terms For Asking A Question You Already Know The Answer To
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
It is human nature to ask questions. We’re a curious species, driving us to discover and learn about everything around us. Throughout human history, we’ve come up with every question you could think to ask, and we’ve answered many of them. But several hundred others remain unanswered and unfortunately, it seems they might remain that way until humans cease to exist.
Table of Contents
- 1 Mind Blowing Questions
- 2 More Confusing Questions
- 3 Funny Unanswerable Questions
- 3.1 Related Posts
If you’re just like the rest of us, then you might find it interesting to play around with a few confusing questions now and then. Challenge your understanding and that of your family and friends by tossing around these questions that mess with your mind the next time you’re at a get together.
We strive to learn the truth, but there are some truths that are so hard to discover that our human logic fails to calculate the right understanding. So we end up leaving these questions unanswered, hoping that some day, the development of human intelligence – or perhaps even divine intervention – will reveal the answers to us and help us get a better grasp of the realities around us.
- When did time begin?
- Did we invent math or did we discover it?
- Where does a thought go when it’s forgotten?
- Do we have free will or is everything predestined?
- Is there life after death?
- Is it really possible to experience anything objectively?
- What are dreams?
- What is the goal of humanity?
- How long will you be remembered after the day that you die?
- Which orange came first – the fruit or the color?
- What is ‘god’?
- Who decided what’s right and wrong?
- What is the purpose of setting goals if we all die anyway?
- What is freedom and does it really exist?
- Which came first – the chicken or the egg?
- What makes you, you?
- What age should a person be considered old enough to die of old age?
- How do you know you’re not crazy and just hallucinating your whole life?
- To what degree have you been able to control the course that your life has taken?
- Is the Earth alive?
- Is it possible to know what is truly good and what is evil?
- If we learn and improve from our mistakes, why are we so afraid to make mistakes?
- Do you ever really do anything out of your own conscious choice, or are we always controlled by some external stimulation or motive?
- Why are you here at this very moment in your life?
- Did you arrive at this point in your life because you willed it or because you were destined to be here?
- Are soul mates a real thing?
- If we need to follow rules at all costs, then why do we make exceptions to these rules?
- Is there an end to the universe, or does it just keep going?
- Why does anything exist?
- What is the purpose and meaning of time?
- Do our human accomplishments have a long-term, universal significance, or when the world ends, do we all end with it, including what we’ve achieved?
- Why do people have to die?
More Confusing Questions
While the initial list of questions explores more provocative, deep contemplation, these confusing questions might not feel as urgent or important. But the confusion they cause can make them a great point of conversation if you want to keep your family and friends preoccupied with debates on your next get together.
- If you punch yourself and it hurts, are you wear or are you strong?
- Why is it that if a premature baby is born earlier than a full-term baby, the preemie is considered older despite existing for a shorter period of time?
- If you took a ship and replaced all of its parts until none of the original parts are intact anymore, is it the same ship or a completely different ship?
- What shape is your field of vision?
- If you describe something as indescribable, haven’t you already described it?
- Are we living or slowly dying?
- Isn’t good health just a slower rate at which to die?
- What do people who are born deaf hear when they think?
- How far up do bald people go when they wash their face?
- If a person dies at sea and only their arm is recovered, how would he be displayed in a casket? Does it need to be a full sized casket?
- If a baby’s butt pops out of its mother at 11:59 PM, and the head comes out at 12:01 AM, what day will the baby be declared to be born on?
- What do they call french kissing in France?
- If killing people is wrong, then why do we kill people that kill people?
- If you’re trying to fail and you succeed, did you fail or did you succeed?
- If you expect the unexpected, doesn’t that make the unexpected expected?
- How is it possible that the world is in debt?
- How important do you have to be to be considered assassinated and not just murdered?
- When you get to heaven, do you look as you do at the age that you die?
- Why do people say that they ‘slept like a baby’ if they slept through the night when babies are known for not sleeping?
- Why is the alphabetical order that way? Who said that that’s the order that it had to be?
- Why is Goofy considered a person and Pluto considered a pet when they’re both dogs anyway?
- Can blind people dream?
- Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle?
- When they say that something is ‘new and improved’, how can it be improved if it’s new? What is it improving on?
- Why is the objective of golf to play the least amount of golf?
- If a vampire bites a zombie, does the zombie become a vampire or does the vampire become a zombie?
- If God created Adam and Eve, did they have belly buttons?
- Why do we hit our hands together when we like something? (clapping)
- Why do we base our age off of the number of times we went around a burning ball of gas?
- How do you know that you see colors the same way that another person sees them? For instance, what if what’s red to you is blue to them, but they still call it red?
- Is your answer to this question ‘no’?
- In the word ‘scent’, which letter is silent? S or C?
- Isn’t the word ‘queue’ just the letter Q followed by four silent letters?
- What would a room made of mirrors look like if there was nothing inside that room to create a reflection?
- Was there ever a time when nothing existed or has something always been in existence?
- If a cyclops were to close its eye, is it winking or blinking?
- Is a body transplant just the same as a brain transplant?
- What is the color of a mirror?
- If you had fun while you were wasting time, can you still say that you wasted time?
- Which arm rest is yours in the movie theater?
- Do dentists go to other dentists or do they treat their own dental care problems?
- How far east do you have to go before you start going west?
- If you were to dig a hole that went through the center of the earth and you jumped through, would you be falling or floating upwards?
- Where do they put the bible in libraries – fiction or non-fiction section?
- What happens when an immovable objects meets an unstoppable force?
- What would happen to the world’s oceans if every person on Earth jumped into the water at the same time?
- When does it stop being partly sunny and start to become partly cloudy?
- Why is vanilla ice cream color white when vanilla itself is color brown?
Funny Unanswerable Questions
Hey, just because a question doesn’t seem to have an answer to it, doesn’t mean it has to be serious. There are lots of funny unanswerable questions out there that can give you a good laugh and start a lot of lighthearted banter between you and friends. Try tossing these funny mindblowing questions around to get the laughs started.
- Are children who act in R-rated movies allowed to watch the film when it’s done?
- Do you consider eyebrows facial hair?
- If you were shorter than someone, would it be possible to talk down to them?
- What hair color do they put in bald people’s driver’s licenses?
- Do prison buses have emergency exits?
- Can you stand backwards on a flight of stairs?
- Do they bury people with their braces still on or do they remove them?
- Why did they put the word ‘dictionary’ in the dictionary?
- What do you call a fly without its wings?
- Why do we cook bacon and bake cookies?
- How do you grow a seedless fruit?
- If tomatoes are a fruit, is ketchup considered a smoothie?
- If you had a dream that none of your dreams would come true, and you woke up and had none of your real-life dreams come true, would that be a dream come true?
- If you told someone to ‘be a leader and not a follower’, wouldn’t they become a follower by following your advice?
- If everyone says that life is unfair, doesn’t that mean that life is fair?
- If the early bird gets the worm, why do good things come to those who wait?
- If you hate haters, does that make you a hater and will you hate yourself?
- What would happen if Pinocchio said ‘My nose will grow now’?
- If the fountain of youth can make you live forever, can you drown in it and still die?
- If Cinderella’s shoe fit her perfectly, then why did it fall off?
- Who taught the first ever teacher?
- If nothing is impossible, then would it be possible for something to be impossible?
- Why do noses run but feet smell?
- Why do they say that you have a cold when your temperature goes up?
- If you drop your soap on the floor, does the floor become clean or does the soap become dirty?
- Isn’t it that when you wait for the waiter to come back with your order, you become the waiter in the process?
- When you buy something that’s made in China while you’re in China, does it still have the made in China tag?
- If the number 2 pencil is the most popular, why is it number 2?
- What was the first man to milk a cow trying to do?
- If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, will we ever know it?
- Do caterpillars know that they’re going to be butterflies or do they build the cocoon not knowing what will happen?
- If God sneezed, what would you say?
- If we evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?
- If life is so short, why do we do things that we don’t like and like so many things that we don’t do?
- When all is said and done, would you have said more than you have done?
- If a tree fell in a forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
- How did the person who invented the calendar know what day it was?
- Why did we decide to give February just 28 days when lots of other months have 31 days? Couldn’t we have just taken some of the 31st days from other months and added them to February?
- If revenge is a dish that’s best served cold, and revenge is sweet, then is revenge ice cream?
- Why are they called buildings if they’re already built?
Susan majored in English with a double minor in Humanities and Business at Arizona State University and earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Liberty University. She taught grades four through twelve in both public and private schools. Subjects included English, U.S. and world history and geography, math, earth and physical science, Bible, information technologies, and creative writing.
Susan has been freelance writing for over ten years, during which time she has written and edited books, newspaper articles, biographies, book reviews, guidelines, neighborhood descriptions for realtors, Power Point presentations, resumes, and numerous other projects.
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The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original size.
– Albert Einstein
Humans love puzzles. The unknown drives us to solve the puzzle and get an adrenaline rush when we find the answer. It is challenging for the brain, and we chase a sense of closure when the mystery is solved.
Think about it; Why do people love Sherlock Holmes?
He always solves the mystery!
Unfortunately, there are many questions out there that man may never learn the answers to. The world is a vast, mysterious place, and there are many things that even scientists don’t understand. Let’s explore some of the questions that there are no answers to.
Here is my list of 100 unanswerable questions:
Tough Unanswerable Questions
- At what time did time begin?
- Which came first: the sun or the earth?
- Is the opposite of opposite the same or opposite?
- Why is there a fridge light but no freezer light?
- Does a staircase go up or down?
- How far east can you travel before you are travelling west?
- Is there another word for “thesaurus”?
- Why is a “manhole” round?
- Why do we call them buildings if buildings are already built?
- If you decide to be indecisive, which are you?
- Did humans invent maths or discover maths?
- When you forget a thought, where does it go?
- If God invented humans, who created God?
- What came first: the seed or the plant?
- How do you know that you are not hallucinating?
- Why do we make exceptions to rules if we all should follow the rules?
- How can you describe something indescribable?
- Are we living, or are we dying?
- Who is the world in debt to if humans invented money?
- Can someone blind from birth see in their dreams?
Next: 80 Funny Questions to Ask – Sorry, Not Sorry!
Funny Unanswerable Questions
- Can you have a daydream at night-time?
- Are child actors in adult-rated movies allowed to watch the film?
- If you are bald, can you get dandruff?
- Can you yawn when you are asleep?
- If the sky is the limit, then what is space?
- Does a dentist go to other dentists for their teeth?
- Why does Tarzan never have a beard?
- Where do the missing socks go?
- If a cave has a cave-in, is it still called a cave?
- Do cannibals think clowns taste funny?
Animal Questions
- How do we know that a new dogfood has an “improved taste”?
- If heaps of cats are lying on top of each other, is it still called a dog pile?
- Is it okay for an endangered animal to eat an endangered plant?
- Why does the Easter Bunny bring eggs when rabbits don’t lay eggs?
- Can a fish get seasick?
- Why did the chicken cross the road?
- Are animals that don’t live in houses homeless?
- How can a jellyfish stand up for itself when it has no backbone?
- Do you call “a fly” a fly if it can’t fly?
- Why do we say spineless snake when a snake has a spine?
Next: 110 Hypothetical Questions
Food Questions
- Why is a pizza box square when a pizza is round?
- Why do we cook bacon and bake cookies?
- Why is vanilla ice cream white but vanilla extract brown?
- Why are bread square and sandwich meat round?
- Can you drink something without eating it?
- If a grape is sweet, why did we call the grapefruit by its name?
- A tomato is a fruit, so why is ketchup not called a smoothie?
- If you have dinner for breakfast, is it still dinner?
- If you can be allergic to anything, can you have an allergy to water?
- How can anyone taste the rainbow?
Questions of the World
- How do you learn about something that doesn’t exist?
- If the truth is different for each of us, how can we call it the truth?
- Why are cars made that go faster than the worlds speed limits?
- Does a mirror have a colour, or does it reflect a colour?
- If you have fun wasting time, is it time wasted?
- How do we know we all see the same colours in the same way?
- If, in an instant, a moving object looks the same as an unmoving object, is movement possible?
- If a tree falls and no one hears it, does it make a sound?
- Will tomorrow ever come?
- Who decided what makes us human?
- If anything is possible, can anything be impossible?
- Is it possible to know everything?
- Why is it a raindrop but a snowfall?
- Is it possible to know if something is good or bad?
- Which came first: the universe or time?
- Will you exist in the future if you can’t ever go there?
- What is the purpose of death?
- If you restore a ship piece by piece, is it the same ship?
- Why is the word dictionary in the dictionary?
- How do you expect the unexpected?
- If you try to fail to succeed, then which have you done?
- Why is abbreviated a long word?
- Why is a stage ring square in shape?
- Did Adam and Eve have a bellybutton?
- Why does your nose run and your feet smell?
- How can you throw away a garbage can?
- If you hate a hater, do you hate yourself?
- Why does bottled water expire?
- Why do we count sheep before bed?
- On a flight, which armrest is yours?
- If something is new, how can it be both new and improved?
- Why does the early bird get the worm, but patience is a virtue?
- What existed before the universe?
- Could you drown in the fountain of youth?
- Would time continue if everything in the world was frozen?
- Is the world eternal?
- When does the future begin?
- Is your glass half-empty or half-full?
- Do you have to swallow gum to get the calories?
- How do you know that you exist?
- Can you cry underwater?
- If you are halfway from your destination, is it from the beginning or the end?
- Is the earth alive?
- Why are we called humans?
- Why does “slim chance” and “fat chance” have the same meaning?
- Can we ever reach the future?
- How does the universe expand if there is nothing outside of it?
- What is a dream?
- Can God create a stone that is too heavy for even him to lift?
- Is a question with no answer still called a question?
I hope you enjoyed this list of unanswerable questions. Did you find any of the answers?
Let me tell you a secret! Wisdom doesn’t come from finding the correct answer – but from asking the right question!
More Questions You’ll Love :
110 Hypothetical Questions // 101 Philosophical Questions // 101 Thought Provoking Questions // 120 What If Questions
To Ask People:
154 Weird Questions To Ask // 118 Random Questions To Ask // 100 Dumb Questions to Ask
100 Stupid Questions to Ask // 200 Deep Questions to Ask // Funny Questions to Ask
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