Standard Lemma guide

counterfactual

adj · noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Canada: /ˌkaʊntɚˈfæktʃuəl/
  • UK: /ˌkaʊn.tə(ɹ)ˈfæk.tʃu.əl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Contrary to known or agreed facts; untrue.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: contrafactual

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of or in comparison to a hypothetical state of the world.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A claim, hypothesis, or other belief that is contrary to the facts.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: counterfact, misapprehension, misconception, misunderstanding, falsehood, misinformation

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A hypothetical state of the world, used to assess the impact of an action.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A conditional statement in which the conditional clause is false.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

going counter to the facts (usually as a hypothesis)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: contrary to fact

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From counter- + factual.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: paikkansapitämätön — contrary to the facts
  • Finnish: tosiasioiden vastainen — contrary to the facts
  • Finnish: kontrafaktuaalinen — contrary to the facts
  • French: contrefactuel — contrary to the facts
  • Georgian: ფაქტების საწინააღმდეგო (pakṭebis sac̣inaaɣmdego) — contrary to the facts
  • German: kontrafaktisch — contrary to the facts
  • Hungarian: hamis — contrary to the facts
  • Hungarian: valótlan — contrary to the facts
  • Hungarian: kontrafaktuális — contrary to the facts
  • Hungarian: a tényeknek ellentmondó — contrary to the facts
  • Italian: controfattuale — contrary to the facts
  • Occitan: contrafactual — contrary to the facts
  • Polish: kontrfaktyczny — contrary to the facts
  • Portuguese: contrafatual — contrary to the facts
  • Russian: контрафактивный (kontrafaktivnyj) — contrary to the facts
  • Spanish: contrafactual — contrary to the facts
  • Swedish: kontrafaktisk — contrary to the facts