counterintuitive

American  

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

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

Example Sentences

It can feel counterintuitive to go out with friends and then impose limits on your spontaneity.

From MarketWatch

Long before Cherny pressed send on that fateful message, Anthropic’s founders had chosen a counterintuitive strategy that would come to define the company.

From The Wall Street Journal

It sounds counterintuitive, but I love getting ready for the first real meal after a spring clean.

From Salon

The idea that convection can occur within an ice sheet may seem counterintuitive at first.

From Science Daily

Gold is typically considered a haven in periods of geopolitical volatility, so its price rise amid talks of de-escalation appears counterintuitive.

From Barron's

Related Words

• unreasonable