counterintuitive

Examples

• All

• On its face, this finding seems counterintuitive, so further research on the question is needed.

  Academic text (2000)

• Many people find it counterintuitive that eating more can help with weight loss.

• You have to do counterintuitive things, which is difficult.

  Big Think

• So it's very counterintuitive, certainly in the area of food waste.

  High Performance

• For most companies, encouraging customers to buy less of their products seems counterintuitive.

  Academic text (1994)

• When mistakes do occur, a new and seemingly counterintuitive strategy is required.

  Academic text (1997)

• Though it seems counterintuitive, the pulsars with the highest spin rates are the oldest.

  Academic text (2012)

• Because of this effect, Lopez may have the counterintuitive result of encouraging Congress to regulate more activity, not less.

  Academic text (2004)

• The finding is completely counterintuitive and at sharp odds with the economic rationality of globalization.

  Academic text (2002)

• A marked deterioration of public health in an industrialized society during peacetime is counterintuitive and highly peculiar.

  Academic text (2005)

Synonyms

S

strange

vscounterintuitive

∞ 2.3

Unusual and slightly odd in a way you cannot easily understand

is about directly going against what ordinary judgment would predict

U

unusual

vscounterintuitive

∞ 2.2

Not common and different from what people expect

is instead about being unexpected in a way that clashes with sense

O

odd

vscounterintuitive

798 1.0

Different from what is normal or expected

is specifically about opposing what seems logical or expected

U

unexpected

vscounterintuitive

392 2.5

Happening without warning

contrasts by being surprising because it goes against what seems sensible

P

peculiar

vscounterintuitive

123 4.6

Different from what is normal and expected

is stronger, meaning it actively contradicts what reasonable thought predicts

U

unnatural

vscounterintuitive

101 4.1

Not normal or what people expect

is instead about going against what people reasonably expect

O

out of the ordinary

vscounterintuitive

48 4.1

Not usual and different from what people expect

is different by specifically opposing what people would expect to be true

A

atypical

vscounterintuitive

27 5.7

Different from what is usual or expected

is narrower, stressing contradiction with common sense rather than mere rarity

A

anomalous

vscounterintuitive

23 8.1

Not like what is usual or expected

focuses more on being opposite to common sense rather than mere deviation

U

unintuitive

vscounterintuitive

1 7.3

Hard to understand or use because it does not follow usual patterns

is more about being opposed to what common sense predicts

U

unwonted

vscounterintuitive

• Literature

1 9.9

Not usual or expected in a situation

is more about actively contradicting common sense rather than formal rarity

N

non-intuitive

vscounterintuitive

8.0

Hard to understand or use because it does not match what people expect

is specifically about being contrary to common sense or expectation

U

unthought-of

vscounterintuitive

7.9

No one expects it before it happens

differs by being surprising due to opposing reasonable expectation

Antonyms

I

intuitive

34 5.5

Felt without thinking, like a quick natural reaction

How Counterintuitive

baffling

27 6.4

counterintuitive

25 7.9

surprising

433 1.8

unexpected

392 2.5

unusual

∞ 2.2

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology