Dictionary Entry
counterintuitive
Part of SpeechadjectivePronunciation/koun-ter-in-too-uh-tiv/Word FrequencyUncommon (3.8)Curriculum FrequencyLess common (1)Contrary to intuition or common sense.
In a Sentence
“The idea that less exercise could lead to better fitness results seemed counterintuitive at first.”
Published Usage Examples
“Henson last week took responsibility for the calls but said the message was "counterintuitive" -- that the calls were actually intended to motivate Ehrlich supporters to vote in the final hours before the polls closed.”
“In this context, being "counterintuitive" -- especially when one is doing so well outside of the traditional channels of scientific discourse -- usually amounts to little more than being just plain wrong.”
This entry also appears in ReadingWillow Year 10 word lists, so students can move between the dictionary and year-level study sets.
Origin
From 'counter-' (against) + 'intuitive' (based on what one feels to be true without reasoning).
Common Phrases
Antonyms
Poetry examples for “counterintuitive”
Excerpts from the ReadingWillow English Library collection.
Poetry examples are still being gathered for this entry. They will appear here once matching poems are available in the library.