counterintuition: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Academic
Quick answer
What does “counterintuition” mean?
A concept, idea, or result that goes against what common sense or instinct would naturally expect.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A concept, idea, or result that goes against what common sense or instinct would naturally expect.
The abstract principle or state of being contrary to natural expectation or immediate understanding; a general field or category of surprising, non-obvious findings.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage. The word is equally rare and formal in both varieties.
Connotations
Both varieties share connotations of intellectual discourse, complexity, and challenging conventional wisdom.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties. Slightly more likely to be encountered in American academic writing due to a higher prevalence of pop-science and business strategy literature.
Grammar
How to Use “counterintuition” in a Sentence
The [noun] is a case of counterintuition.His theory is built on a foundation of counterintuition.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in strategy to describe plans that defy conventional wisdom but may succeed.
Academic
Used in philosophy of science, psychology, and physics to discuss findings that contradict lay assumptions.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Used in logic, game theory, and complex systems analysis.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “counterintuition”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “counterintuition”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “counterintuition”
- Using it as an adjective ('That's very counterintuition') instead of 'counterintuitive'.
- Confusing it with 'counterargument'.
- Overusing in contexts where 'surprising' or 'unexpected' would suffice.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a rare, formal, and academic word. The adjective 'counterintuitive' is far more common.
It is better to use 'counterintuitive fact' or 'surprising result'. 'Counterintuition' refers to the abstract concept or category.
A 'paradox' is a specific, often logical, statement that leads to a self-contradictory conclusion. 'Counterintuition' is a broader, more abstract concept describing any idea that clashes with instinctive expectation.
No, there is no standard verb. You would use phrases like 'go against intuition' or 'defy intuition'.
A concept, idea, or result that goes against what common sense or instinct would naturally expect.
Counterintuition is usually formal, academic in register.
Counterintuition: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkaʊn.tər.ɪn.tʃuˈɪʃ.ən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkaʊn.t̬ɚ.ɪn.tuˈɪʃ.ən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'COUNTER' (against) + 'INTUITION' (gut feeling). It's the idea that fights your gut feeling.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE IS A BATTLEFIELD (where intuition and counterintuition clash).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'counterintuition' most appropriately used?