Counterintuitive (adjective)

Contrary to what one would expect or what intuition would suggest.

Origin:

Counter- + intuitive.

Examples:

1. The counterintuitive solution to the problem took everyone by surprise.
2. It's counterintuitive to think that less water would lead to more hydration.
3. The counterintuitive findings of the study challenged previous assumptions.
4. It may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to stop thinking about it.
5. It's counterintuitive, but the best way to reduce your stress is to exercise more.