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
This hinders innovation instead of encouraging it, which is counterintuitive.
—Rachel Wells, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
At first her advice for how to not to experience fatigue while navigating dating apps may sound counterintuitive, but effective.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 18 Oct. 2024
This Weekend By Emma Specter Other interventions were more counterintuitive.
—Tomris Laffly, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2024
There is a fantastically zany song about the Rainbow Bridge—a kind of mythical gateway to heaven for pets and their owners—which turns unexpectedly profound on its reprise late in the show, and a delightfully counterintuitive number about ghosts and the afterlife.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for counterintuitive 
Rachel Wells, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
At first her advice for how to not to experience fatigue while navigating dating apps may sound counterintuitive, but effective.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 18 Oct. 2024
This Weekend By Emma Specter Other interventions were more counterintuitive.
—Tomris Laffly, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2024
There is a fantastically zany song about the Rainbow Bridge—a kind of mythical gateway to heaven for pets and their owners—which turns unexpectedly profound on its reprise late in the show, and a delightfully counterintuitive number about ghosts and the afterlife.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for counterintuitive
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'counterintuitive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near counterintuitive
Cite this Entry
“Counterintuitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterintuitive. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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