counterfactual
adjective
coun·ter·fac·tu·al
ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈfak-chə-wəl 
-chəl,
-shwəl,
-chü-əl
: contrary to fact
counterfactual assumptions
Examples of counterfactual in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The polio vaccines prevented 29 million cases of paralytic polio between 1960 and 2021, compared with a counterfactual world with no vaccines, according to researchers’ estimates.
—
Soph Warnes, CNN, 2 Feb. 2025
The former calls for a counterfactual view of how testing works; the latter calls for political will and policy ideas not currently in evidence.
—Peter Greene, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
From those counterfactual questions, the adult Roth spun a tour de force of memory and history.
—New York Times, 8 July 2024
This willingness or compulsion to present claims that are utterly counterfactual has set Trump apart from conventional candidates.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 14 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for counterfactual
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Soph Warnes, CNN, 2 Feb. 2025
The former calls for a counterfactual view of how testing works; the latter calls for political will and policy ideas not currently in evidence.
—Peter Greene, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
From those counterfactual questions, the adult Roth spun a tour de force of memory and history.
—New York Times, 8 July 2024
This willingness or compulsion to present claims that are utterly counterfactual has set Trump apart from conventional candidates.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 14 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for counterfactual
Cite this Entry
“Counterfactual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterfactual. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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