counterexample

noun

coun·​ter·​ex·​am·​ple ˈkau̇n-tər-ig-ˌzam-pəl How to pronounce counterexample (audio)
: an example that refutes or disproves a proposition or theory

Examples of counterexample in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As a counterexample, Kehlmann pointed to Thomas Mann. Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 6 May 2025 Over the past few years, mathematicians have used machine learning models (opens a new tab) to uncover new patterns, invent new conjectures, and find counterexamples to old ones. Jordana Cepelewicz, Quanta Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025 Topline Stocks’ Tuesday bounce concluded a solid stretch of gains heading into the election, securing a historically accurate stock market predictor for a Vice President Kamala Harris victory, though recent counterexamples potentially cloud the prognostication. Derek Saul, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 Nobody yet knows if a counterexample exists in four or five dimensions. Jordana Cepelewicz, Quanta Magazine, 14 May 2024 See All Example Sentences for counterexample

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterexample was in 1809

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Counterexample.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterexample. Accessed 12 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!