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
November 13, 2025 Growing cotton in Italy — regenerative or otherwise — seems rather counterintuitive, almost like cultivating lemon trees in the fjords of Norway.
—Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 13 Nov. 2025
Value can be counterintuitive, especially at the ultra-premium end.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 8 Nov. 2025
Backstage, Fernanda De Santos, a nursing student from Houston, tells me that her somewhat counterintuitive strategy is listening to screamo music while competing.
—Martin Fritz Huber, Outside, 6 Nov. 2025
And the trend is counterintuitive, because bank customers tend to stay put.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
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Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 13 Nov. 2025
Value can be counterintuitive, especially at the ultra-premium end.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 8 Nov. 2025
Backstage, Fernanda De Santos, a nursing student from Houston, tells me that her somewhat counterintuitive strategy is listening to screamo music while competing.
—Martin Fritz Huber, Outside, 6 Nov. 2025
And the trend is counterintuitive, because bank customers tend to stay put.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 6 Nov. 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 16 Nov. 2025.
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