counterintuitive

adjective

coun·​ter·​in·​tu·​i·​tive ˌkau̇n-tər-in-ˈtü-ə-tiv 

-ˈtyü-

: contrary to what one would intuitively expect

As counterintuitive as it may seem, the universe has no center, and it has no boundary.

—Jim Bell

counterintuitively

ˌkau̇n-tər-in-ˈtü-ə-tiv-lē 

-ˈtyü-

adverb

Examples of counterintuitive in a Sentence

It may seem counterintuitive, but we do burn calories when we are sleeping.

Recent Examples on the Web

This seemingly counterintuitive reading is the result of the way the Bureau of Labor Statistics creates jobs reports, producing two separate datasets. —Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 7 June 2024

This is not the kind of play to abandon you in a dark alley, even if Cephus’s distaste for city life is the most compelling and counterintuitive part of the story. —Jesse Green, New York Times, 6 June 2024

But Hamas’s leaders also have political aims that may at first seem counterintuitive. —Matthew Levitt, Foreign Affairs, 10 May 2024

Sleep is actually counterintuitive; overtiredness will cause restless sleep and early morning starts. —Lola Sanchez, Parents, 29 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above