counterfactual
adjective
coun·ter·fac·tu·al
| \ ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈfak-chə-wəl
, -chəl, -shwəl, -chü-əl\
, -chəl, -shwəl, -chü-əl\
Definition of counterfactual
: contrary to fact
counterfactual assumptions
Examples of counterfactual in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For instance, an inability to stop counterfactual thinking—concocting alternatives to events that have already happened—is to be expected at first, Dr. Shear says. — Patia Braithwaite, SELF, "Here's When It's Time to See Someone About Your Grief," 2 Aug. 2019 These approaches try to balance mathematical fairness with practical counterfactual thinking — with results that work well in certain circumstances, but not in others. — Quanta Magazine, "Solution: ‘The Slippery Math of Causation’," 29 June 2018 Microsoft's credibility with the press was no higher, hurt by constant counterfactual statements and spin. — Dina Bass, latimes.com, "Microsoft’s past antitrust missteps offer lessons for today’s tech giants," 20 June 2019 Second, counterfactual editorials not supported by the economic data unwittingly feed into the false narratives of those foreign countries that have been getting away with high tariffs and unfair trade practices for years. — WSJ, "In Defense of President Trump’s Trade Policy," 26 July 2018 In this counterfactual world, the storm looks significantly different. — Scott K. Johnson, Ars Technica, "A quick simulation of Hurricane Florence done without climate change," 13 Sep. 2018 In short, Wakanda functions as counterfactual history. — Naunihal Singh, Washington Post, "What ‘Black Panther’s’ Wakanda can teach us about Africa’s history — and its future," 28 Feb. 2018 Setting the political furor aside, how would political science assess its counterfactual analysis? — Matthew Cebul, Washington Post, "How political science can shed light on the Holocaust Museum’s Syria report," 17 Oct. 2017 But the notion that 2020 will bear any resemblance to 1972 is built on a foundation of counterfactual history and willful misreading of contemporary politics. — Bob Moser, New Republic, "Clintonian Democrats Are Peddling Myths to Cling to Power," 11 Oct. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'counterfactual.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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