1. A rhetorical device in which a speaker mentions something by saying it will not be mentioned, or emphasizes a point by pretending to pass over it.
Usage: Also called preterition or occupatio.; Common in rhetoric and literature.

Examples

• The politician used paralipsis when she said, 'I won't even mention my opponent's failed business ventures,' thereby drawing attention to them.
• In his speech, he employed paralipsis: 'I'm not going to discuss the scandal, but everyone knows what happened.'
• The author's use of paralipsis—'I won't dwell on the character's tragic past'—actually made readers focus on that very past.
• By saying 'I won't bring up the elephant in the room,' the moderator used paralipsis to highlight the unspoken tension.
• The lawyer's paralipsis was effective: 'I won't mention the defendant's prior convictions,' which made the jury think about them anyway.