Word that means "the opposite of what you would expect"
Solution 1:
Counterintuitively, the teenager's grandmother uses text messaging much more than he does.
counterintuitive - contrary to what intuition or common sense [or expectation] would indicate.
Potential differences between counterintuitive and unexpected are...
1: Normally, only "facts" or "conclusions" (not "events") are described as counterintuitive.
2: Normally, counterintuitive implies that you actually expect an "opposite" scenario to be true.
3: Something can be unexpected even if you hadn't previously given any thought to the possibility of it happening. Thus, the doorbell can ring unexpectedly late at night, but probably not counterintuitively.
Solution 2:
"Contradictory" or "contrary" is perhaps the best word I can think of to describe the situation you are trying to describe. An opposite and unexpected conclusion.
The antithesis of something is also the exact opposite of what you are referring to, or in opposition of what you are referring to. So if you had an expected reaction, and the reaction were the exact opposite, you could say it was the 'antithesis' of what you expected.
You could do the same thing just using the word "opposite", actually.
If you don't mind making the statement that the result was impossible, you could also call it a paradox, meaning that the statement should be false, but is nontheless true. I wouldn't recommend this though, as it requires a very precise use of the word.
Solution 3:
- shocking
- unforeseen
- remarkable
- unanticipated
- abnormal
- astonishing
- astounding (THEAO)