A question asked for effect that does not require an answer is known as what?

A rhetorical question is a figure of speech posed to make a point rather than elicit a response. It is often used in literature, speeches, and everyday conversation to provoke thought or emphasize a particular idea. Since the purpose is to stimulate the audience's thinking or to highlight a point, no direct answer is expected or necessary.

Other types of questions serve different purposes: a leading question is designed to guide the respondent toward a specific answer; a hypothetical question asks someone to consider a scenario that isn’t real; and an open-ended question encourages a detailed response rather than a simple yes or no. Each of these alternatives aims at gathering information or opinions, unlike a rhetorical question, which focuses on persuasion or emphasis.