counterexample

noun coun·ter·ex·am·ple \ ˈkau̇n-tər-ig-ˌzam-pəl \

|Updated on: 4 Jun 2018

Definition of counterexample

: an example that refutes or disproves a proposition or theory

Recent Examples of counterexample from the Web

Bell meant graduate students who did Prize-worthy work but lost the Nobel, unfortunately, there are many counterexamples to her assertion.

— brian keating, WIRED, "There's Nothing Noble about Science’s Nobel Prize Gender Gap," 27 May 2018
Standing as a counterexample to the European delusion is Israel—a nation state, in which religion plays a significant part, which is successful despite war, terror and the stress of absorbing millions of immigrants.

— reuven brenner, WSJ, "The Roots of Anti-Semitism," 10 May 2018
As a counterexample, the Pittsburgh winger motions across the locker room toward captain Sidney Crosby, whose rotating cast of linemates often lends itself to visual instruction.

— alex prewitt, SI.com, "For NHL Teams and Players, iPads Have Become an Important Part of the Game," 17 Apr. 2018
For a stunning counterexample, few if any health-care entities on earth can match the economic and humanitarian achievements of Dr. Devi Shetty’s for-profit Narayana Health.

— robert graboyes, National Review, "Seven Suggestions for the Amazon-Berkshire-JP Morgan Health Project," 13 Feb. 2018
For a counterexample of how a time of intense political bitterness can start to tear this country apart, look back exactly half a century to 1968.

— charlie savage, New York Times, "What if Republicans Win the Midterms?," 3 Mar. 2018
The counterexample Not one of a dozen cases above contradicts the hypothesis that Trump believes women who accuse his rivals of misconduct and disbelieves those who accuse his friends.

— avi selk, Washington Post, "A hypothesis: When Trump speaks of women, he's thinking of men," 11 Feb. 2018
Moore pointed to North Carolina as a counterexample, where the population and economy have both grown in recent years while the state has slashed income taxes.

— benjy sarlin, NBC News, "The GOP Tried Trump-Style Tax Cuts in Kansas. What a Mess.," 22 Oct. 2017
Knebel Mosel Riesling 2015, $18.99 For anybody put off by German wine labels or terminology, here is a great counterexample.

— eric asimov, New York Times, "20 Wines for Under $20: Weeknight Pleasures for Relaxed Evenings," 21 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'counterexample.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.