Counterintuitive
adj. /ˌkaʊntərɪnˈtjuːɪtɪv/ (کاؤنٹر اِنٹیوٹِو)Contrary to intuition or expectation; seemingly unlikely to be true.
Counterintuitive Meaning in Urdu
In everyday Urdu, counterintuitive describes something that goes against natural expectation, yet turns out to be true.
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1
Opposite to what one would naturally expectعقل کے برعکس، غیر متوقع
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2
True or effective despite seeming illogical at firstبظاہر غیر منطقی مگر حقیقت میں درست
Counterintuitive results are common in science, economics, and psychology, where the obvious answer often turns out to be wrong.
Word Details
| Word | Counterintuitive |
| Part of Speech | Adjective |
| CEFR Level | B2/C1 |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Urdu Meaning | عقل کے برعکس، غیر متوقع |
| English Meaning | Contrary to what one would naturally expect |
| Pronunciation | /ˌkaʊntərɪnˈtjuːɪtɪv/ |
| Word Type | Common formal adjective |
| Commonness | Frequent in scientific and analytical writing |
Pronunciation
Simple English Explanation
Use “counterintuitive” for a finding or idea that goes against what common sense would predict, yet turns out to be true — it can feel counterintuitive that slowing down sometimes makes a process faster overall.
اردو وضاحت
“Counterintuitive” ایسی بات کے لیے استعمال ہوتا ہے جو فطری توقع کے برعکس ہو، لیکن حقیقت میں درست نکلے۔
Example Sentences
Synonyms
Nuance: “Unexpected” is broad and general; “counterintuitive” specifically implies the result contradicts what intuition or common sense would predict, even though it’s actually true or logical upon deeper analysis.
Antonyms
Common Collocations
Word Family
| Form | Word |
|---|---|
| Adjective | Counterintuitive |
| Noun | Counterintuitiveness (rare) |
| Adverb | Counterintuitively |
There is no standard verb form of “counterintuitive” in modern English.
Counterintuitive vs Illogical
“Illogical” means something doesn’t make sense or follow reason at all.
“Counterintuitive” means something goes against instinctive expectation but often DOES make sense once explained or analysed carefully — many scientific findings are counterintuitive yet fully logical.
Common Mistakes
✓ His counterintuitive argument surprised us at first but proved correct.
Counterintuitive things usually DO make sense on reflection — they just go against first instinct, unlike something illogical.
IELTS Usage
Writing: Useful in Task 2 essays about science, economics, psychology, or unexpected findings.
Speaking: Can describe a surprising fact you learned in Part 3.
Example: “It can be counterintuitive that eating slightly less can sometimes lead to more energy.”
MDCAT / Academic Usage
Appears frequently in scientific, economic, and psychology passages discussing surprising research findings.
Word Origin / Etymology
From “counter-” (“against”) + “intuitive” (based on instinct), from Latin intueri (“to look at, consider”).
Memory Tip
“Counter” (against) + “intuitive” (instinct-based) — counterintuitive means going against instinct.
Mini Quiz
1. Meaning of “counterintuitive”:
2. Correct sentence:
3. Antonym of “counterintuitive”:
4. Adverb form:
Score: 0 / 4
FAQs
What is the meaning of counterintuitive in Urdu?
Counterintuitive means عقل کے برعکس، غیر متوقع — contrary to intuition or expectation; seemingly unlikely to be true.
Is counterintuitive a noun, verb, or adjective?
Adjective; the adverb form is counterintuitively.
What are the synonyms of counterintuitive?
Unexpected, paradoxical, surprising, and unintuitive — with nuance explained above.
What is the opposite of counterintuitive?
Intuitive, expected, and predictable.