counterfactual

[koun-ter-fak-choo-uhl]

noun

Logic.

1. a conditional statement the first clause of which expresses something contrary to fact, as “If I had known.”

counterfactual

/ ˌkauntəˈfæktʃʊəl /

adjective

1. expressing what has not happened but could, would, or might under differing conditions

noun

1. a conditional statement in which the first clause is a past tense subjunctive statement expressing something contrary to fact, as in

   if she had hurried she would have caught the bus

Other Word Forms

• counterfact noun
• counterfactually adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of counterfactual¹

First recorded in 1945–50; counter- + factual

Example Sentences

I think an oligarch class is going to deliver us a combination of both, where the AI will not only create reliance on it but give us bad, counterfactual information about important issues.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That effacement tries to create a counterfactual absurdity.

Read more on Salon

We can't be certain because the results depend heavily on the method chosen by researchers for measuring the "counterfactual", i.e what would have happened to UK exports had the country stayed in the EU.

Read more on BBC

These so-called counterfactual scenarios are alternative possibilities for past events, i.e. scenarios that did not occur but could have happened.

Read more on Science Daily

They presented no evidence, only aspersions and suspicion and counterfactual speculation, but in Russia’s eyes the culprit was clear: Ukraine.

Read more on Seattle Times