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 spelled paralepsis or paralipsis; Literary and rhetorical term; From Greek, meaning 'to leave aside'

Examples

• The politician used paraleipsis when she said, 'I won't even mention my opponent's failed business ventures,' thereby drawing attention to them.
• By saying 'I'm not going to discuss the scandal,' the executive employed paraleipsis to keep it in the audience's mind.
• The author's paraleipsis—'I won't bore you with the details of his childhood'—actually made readers curious about those very details.
• In his speech, he used paraleipsis: 'I won't point out how unqualified my rival is,' which ironically emphasized that very claim.
• The comedian's paraleipsis made the joke land harder: 'I'm not even going to mention how badly he sang.'