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
Jim BellExamples of counterintuitive in a Sentence
It may seem counterintuitive, but we do burn calories when we are sleeping.
Recent Examples on the Web
The rampant unpacking of his account descending into ad hominem attacks feels counterintuitive to what people want from celebrities now, a patina of authenticity.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026
Watching transplanted hair fall out felt counterintuitive, but trusting the timeline made all the difference.
—Will Jones, Kansas City Star, 31 Dec. 2025
At first blush, this might sound counterintuitive.
—George Michael, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
Cognitive dissonance seemingly provided a tidy account of a wide variety of counterintuitive behavior.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterintuitive
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026
Watching transplanted hair fall out felt counterintuitive, but trusting the timeline made all the difference.
—Will Jones, Kansas City Star, 31 Dec. 2025
At first blush, this might sound counterintuitive.
—George Michael, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
Cognitive dissonance seemingly provided a tidy account of a wide variety of counterintuitive behavior.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterintuitive
Cite this Entry
“Counterintuitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterintuitive. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
