View synonyms for counterfactual

counterfactual

[ koun-ter-fak-choo-uhl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, Logic.

a conditional statement the first clause of which expresses something contrary to fact, as “If I had known.”

counterfactual

/ ˌkauntəˈfæktʃʊəl /

expressing what has not happened but could, would, or might under differing conditions

a conditional statement in which the first clause is a past tense subjunctive statement expressing something contrary to fact, as in
if she had hurried she would have caught the bus

First recorded in 1945–50; counter- + factual

Psychologists call this awareness of what might have been “counterfactual thinking.”

For anyone who ever thought it was glamorous to die young, Reed was the counterintuitive counterfactual.

His counterfactual musings don't provide any practicable, coherent or implementable alternatives.

But let's consider a counterfactual: Republicans double down.

It will depend upon the counterfactual—who is the other person.

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