counterintuitive
Americanadjective
adjective
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(of an idea, proposal, etc) seemingly contrary to common sense
-
intelligence collected about enemy espionage
Etymology
Origin of counterintuitive
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.
Vocabulary lists containing counterintuitive
Against All Odds: Contra and Counter
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Vocabulary from the Introduction to "Reality is Broken" by Jane McGonigal
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"Marita's Bargain," Vocabulary from the essay
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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.
Gold’s counterintuitive performance since the Iran war began is therefore not an exception but entirely consistent with the historical record.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
And yet, as counterintuitive as it may sound, Smith dedicated time and effort during spring training to improving his framing.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
Quantum mechanics is famous for its strange and often counterintuitive ideas.
From Science Daily • May 3, 2026
These are among my counterintuitive takeaways from conversations with some of the highest-earning women in America.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026
There is something profoundly counterintuitive in the definition of stickiness that emerges from all these examples.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
