Apophasis, from the Greek “apophanai,” meaning “to deny,” is a type of rhetoric in which an issue is raised through a claim not to mention it. For example, an election candidate might say in a debate, “I won’t discuss my opponent’s lack of experience.” In this way, apophasis draws attention to a topic specifically by calling out its avoidance. It’s not a term that’s used in casual conversation, but the next time you hear someone say, “I don’t need to mention…” you’ll know that they’re using apophasis.