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Synonyms

counterintuitive

American  
[koun-ter-in-too-i-tiv, -tyoo-] / ˌkaʊn tər ɪnˈtu ɪ tɪv, -ˈtyu- /

adjective

  1. counter to what intuition would lead one to expect.

    The direction we had to follow was counterintuitive—we had to go north first before we went south.
counterintuitive British  
/ ˌkaʊntərɪnˈtjuːɪtɪv /

adjective

  1. (of an idea, proposal, etc) seemingly contrary to common sense

  2. intelligence collected about enemy espionage

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of counterintuitive

First recorded in 1960–65; counter- + intuitive

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It can feel counterintuitive to go out with friends and then impose limits on your spontaneity.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026

It sounds counterintuitive, but I love getting ready for the first real meal after a spring clean.

From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026

The idea that convection can occur within an ice sheet may seem counterintuitive at first.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

The energy finding seems counterintuitive, but by Barclays’ math, energy stocks are already trading as though crude were selling for more than $100 a barrel.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

Sound and light, Doppler argued, behaved according to universal and natural laws—even if these were deeply counterintuitive to ordinary viewers or listeners.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.