counterintuitive

American  

[kaun-ter-in-too-i-tiv, -tyoo-] / ˌkaʊn tər ɪnˈtu ɪ tɪv, -ˈtju- /

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

---

Etymology

Origin of counterintuitive

First recorded in 1960–65; counter- + intuitive

---

Explanation

If something is counterintuitive it means it's the opposite of "intuitive" — in other words it's not easily understood in an instinctive, unconscious way. A red light for "go" and a green light for "stop" would be highly counterintuitive, for example. A classic example of the intuitive/counterintuitive divide can be found in computers: today they're so easy to use a toddler can handle them; early ones were so counterintuitive they remained a head-scratching mystery to all but a few techies. Writing tip: note that counterintuitive is one of those words that used to be commonly hyphenated (like "nonetheless" and "secondhand") but is now generally spelled as a single word.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

counterintuitive

He told BBC Scotland News: "It's a bit counterintuitive but extending restrictions is actually a positive thing because it means we've got the ability to move stock freely anywhere in the country now."

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

Here is the part that feels a little counterintuitive: after going to the trouble of deglazing the pot, I often cook everything back down again.

From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026

The connection is one of the most counterintuitive features of quantum mechanics and has challenged physicists' understanding of reality for decades.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

There was real appeal to the sort of revisionist, counterintuitive argument that the administration was making or specifically that Thomas was making.

From Slate ● Aug. 31, 2026

And the parallel stems from a concept that is quite counterintuitive: the Internet, smartphones, and other devices are addictive because they often deliver us worthless information.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• unreasonable

---