disproportionate

adjective

dis·​pro·​por·​tion·​ate ˌdis-prə-ˈpȯr-sh(ə-)nət 

: being out of proportion

a disproportionate share

disproportionately adverb

Examples of disproportionate in a Sentence

He believes that middle-class people bear a disproportionate share of the tax burden.

A disproportionate number of the students are poor.

Recent Examples on the Web

Insurgent brands account for a disproportionate share of the growth in consumer goods last year. —Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025

The American Lung Association states that while Latinos have the lowest rates of cigarette smoking among racial and ethnic groups, their living, working, and childhood environments pose disproportionate risks to their lung health. —Noreen Sugrue, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025

So after that he was met with disproportionate force. —FOXNews.com, 30 Aug. 2025

Absent of those factors, the tribunal found dismissal to be disproportionate. —Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin disprōportiōnātus, past participle of disprōportiōnāre "to make out of proportion," from Latin dis- dis- + Medieval Latin prōportiōnāre "to compose according to proportions" — more at proportion entry 2

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disproportionate

• extortionate
• proportionate

Kids Definition

disproportionate

adjective

dis·​pro·​por·​tion·​ate ˌdis-prə-ˈpōr-sh(ə-)nət 

-ˈpȯr-

: being out of proportion

disproportionately adverb