counterintuitive
contrary to what common sense or intuition would suggest
Word origin: From Latin counter- (against) plus intueri, to look upon.
Counterintuitive in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing counterintuitive in a sentence.
It seems counterintuitive, but lowering the price actually reduced demand for the luxury item.
It seems counterintuitive that adding lanes can increase congestion, yet traffic studies repeatedly confirm the effect.
Using “counterintuitive” well
Counterintuitive describes a truth that contradicts what intuition predicts, aligning it loosely with paradoxical. Note that something counterintuitive may still be correct; the word concerns expectation, not accuracy.
More GRE words starting with C
a small secret group plotting against a government or authority
having a hidden or mysterious meaning understood only by initiates
a harsh, jarring mixture of sounds
to obtain something by begging or sponging off others
falling off or shed at an early stage, especially of plant parts
to coax someone into doing something through flattery or persuasion
an event causing great damage, loss, or distress
misty, dim, or dark, and therefore obscure
Questions about “counterintuitive”
See these words the way the GRE tests them.
Definitions in isolation do not stick. Sit a free, full-length GRE mock and meet this vocabulary inside real text completion and sentence equivalence questions, with your score and a worked solution for every answer.