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
Made worse by frantic editing and counterintuitive shot framing, the visual effects fluctuate wildly between convincing digital flourishes and surprisingly cheap-looking practical attempts.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
What’s more, another counterintuitive hurdle to debt reduction is the pressure on interest rates caused by rapid growth.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 6 May 2026
The authors note that this outcome is counterintuitive, as it is generally assumed that reactions accelerate when more reactants can reach the catalyst more quickly, pointing instead to a more nuanced underlying principle governing nanoscale catalysis.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 3 May 2026
Moving My Stuff to the sub-menu, on the other hand, seems counterintuitive.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterintuitive
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Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
What’s more, another counterintuitive hurdle to debt reduction is the pressure on interest rates caused by rapid growth.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 6 May 2026
The authors note that this outcome is counterintuitive, as it is generally assumed that reactions accelerate when more reactants can reach the catalyst more quickly, pointing instead to a more nuanced underlying principle governing nanoscale catalysis.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 3 May 2026
Moving My Stuff to the sub-menu, on the other hand, seems counterintuitive.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterintuitive
Cite this Entry
“Counterintuitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterintuitive. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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