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

Maybe that sounds counterintuitive to folks worried about how the Bears are going to supply their roster with high-end talent in the next couple of years, and there will be a host of needs on defense alone. — Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026

That might be counterintuitive — vanishingly few of us have killed someone and then buried them under the floorboards, after all. — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026

The exposure that followed her triumph on the Croisette was overwhelming and, at times, counterintuitive. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026

Industry observers have also long argued that the closure works as a counterintuitive sales booster, because the scarcity has become part of the brand and helps drive traffic on the other six days. — Heather Occhino, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for counterintuitive

• intuitive