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
His message to the crowd had been slightly counterintuitive – a plea for optimism and hope, contoured by ominous warnings about what Trump’s second term could bring.
—Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2025
Another is that traditional zone plays often don’t work, leading to the counterintuitive approach of running your man offense against what looks like a zone.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2025
Eggers, who makes movies where nobody seems terribly happy to be alive, and who generally looks like a drummer for a death-metal band, is exceptionally good at conjuring a counterintuitive coziness.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Dec. 2024
Some of the casting is provocatively counterintuitive.
—Houman Barekat, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2024
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Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2025
Another is that traditional zone plays often don’t work, leading to the counterintuitive approach of running your man offense against what looks like a zone.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2025
Eggers, who makes movies where nobody seems terribly happy to be alive, and who generally looks like a drummer for a death-metal band, is exceptionally good at conjuring a counterintuitive coziness.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Dec. 2024
Some of the casting is provocatively counterintuitive.
—Houman Barekat, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for counterintuitive
Dictionary Entries Near counterintuitive
Cite this Entry
“Counterintuitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterintuitive. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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