counterintuitive

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coun·ter·in·tu·i·tive

 (koun′tər-ĭn-to͞o′ĭ-tĭv, -tyo͞o′-)
adj.
Contrary to what intuition or common sense would indicate: "Scientists made clear what may at first seem counterintuitive, that the capacity to be pleasant toward a fellow creature is ... hard work" (Natalie Angier).

coun′ter·in·tu′i·tive·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

counterintuitive

(ˌkaʊntərɪnˈtjuːɪtɪv)
adj
1. (of an idea, proposal, etc) seemingly contrary to common sense
2. (Military) intelligence collected about enemy espionage
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

coun•ter•in•tu•i•tive

(ˌkaʊn tər ɪnˈtu ɪ tɪv, -ˈtyu-)

adj.
counter to what intuition would lead one to expect.
[1960–65]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.counterintuitive - contrary to what common sense would suggest
unreasonable - not reasonable; not showing good judgment
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
contre-intuitif
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References in periodicals archive
He discusses setting the stage, a unique context for urban innovation, counter-intuitive perspective for shaping a city, neighborhoods, transportation choices, diversity, urban design, environmental responsibility, public and private collaboration, and new iterations and lessons learned.
The 24-year-old also said he believed the man who killed Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016 was a "scumbag" - claiming his actions were "counter-intuitive" to what banned far-right group National Action was trying to achieve.
To convey anything apart from that will be counter-intuitive and counter-productive to the whole exercise.'
"This result seems counter-intuitive because you might expect longer periods of not breathing to be more severe," Butler said in a statement.
Considering the near certainty of a September hike, the December contract's recent jag over 97.40 seemed a bit counter-intuitive, leaving risk back down to the low 97.30's as the month progresses, unless contagion in the emerging markets spills over.
This appears counter-intuitive given the list of items in the PPP debit column, but it held the PTI to second place overall and between the two of them the MQM-P is reduced now to a shadow of its former self having outlived its usefulness.
Different sectors of the legal profession have differing views on the present, counter-intuitive, practice.
It may be a political triumph for Jubilee but this is counter-intuitive. The public is left thoroughly exposed when the Legislature is mellowed.
It is counter-intuitive for terrorists to give away their game.
Coming in the face of the decades-long lobbying by doctors, governments, health weather-vanes and assorted interested parties to get people to eat less salt and urge food manufacturers to make more healthy packaged products - and which seems to be turning the high-sodium tide somewhat - this pro-salt declaration may seem a bit counter-intuitive. When it comes to the world of health, there cannot be enough experts and this heightens the need for individuals to not get carried away by every new conclusion that carries the risk of forever confining them to a maze of uncertainty on health outcomes of every kind.
It may be rather counter-intuitive to protect the borough from overdevelopment by allowing the construction of over 16,000 homes - but it is, in fact, the only way forward.
Lead researcher Professor Tarani Chandola, from the University of Manchester, said: "It may seem counter-intuitive that stopping low status work which may be stressful does not reduce biological levels of stress.
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