counterintuitive

[ koun-ter-in-too-i-tiv, -tyoo- ]

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

/ ˌkaʊntərɪnˈtjuːɪtɪv /

adjective

1. (of an idea, proposal, etc) seemingly contrary to common sense
2. intelligence collected about enemy espionage

Word History and Origins

Origin of counterintuitive¹

First recorded in 1960–65; counter- + intuitive

Example Sentences

The most recent one I can think of along those lines is Tom Hardy as Venom, which may on the surface may seem counterintuitive to sleep.

From Salon

The increased heat is making everything more wet, which may seem counterintuitive at first, because heat waves are usually associated with dryness.

From Salon

So, sending hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers into Russia itself is, shall we say, counterintuitive in the eyes of some.

From BBC

This might sound counterintuitive but French volleyball star Alexia Richard, 28, says it is a good idea to wear longer clothes when the sun is at its most intense.

From BBC

They are ideally suited for predicting the structure and behavior of molecules, researchers say, because both the machines and the molecules are ruled by the counterintuitive laws of quantum mechanics.

From Science Magazine

Related Words

• unreasonable