counterfactual
adjective
coun·ter·fac·tu·al
ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈfak-chə-wəl 
-chəl,
-shwəl,
-chü-əl
: contrary to fact
counterfactual assumptions
Examples of counterfactual in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For years, that counterfactual felt abstract.
—
John Hope Bryant, Time, 28 May 2026
That is the most relevant counterfactual available.
—Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Mandatory frontier-model approval simultaneously fails the targeting, counterfactual durability, and enforceability tests.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 15 May 2026
In our counterfactual future, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay in South America’s southern cone, so close to Antarctica, have to adapt to some of the harshest effects of the widening hole in the ozone.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterfactual
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.
John Hope Bryant, Time, 28 May 2026
That is the most relevant counterfactual available.
—Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Mandatory frontier-model approval simultaneously fails the targeting, counterfactual durability, and enforceability tests.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 15 May 2026
In our counterfactual future, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay in South America’s southern cone, so close to Antarctica, have to adapt to some of the harshest effects of the widening hole in the ozone.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterfactual
Cite this Entry
“Counterfactual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterfactual. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
