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
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
To those who aren’t themselves slogging through the dating apps, the fact that more potential partners makes things harder might seem counterintuitive.
—Judd B. Kessler, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
Overall the second season is steadily chipping away at the idea that any individual actors could actually be responsible for decisions this cataclysmic, and that’s an interesting, counterintuitive suggestion for a video-game adaptation since the experience of playing one is so singular.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025
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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
To those who aren’t themselves slogging through the dating apps, the fact that more potential partners makes things harder might seem counterintuitive.
—Judd B. Kessler, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
Overall the second season is steadily chipping away at the idea that any individual actors could actually be responsible for decisions this cataclysmic, and that’s an interesting, counterintuitive suggestion for a video-game adaptation since the experience of playing one is so singular.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 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 28 Dec. 2025.
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