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

Megan Strickland, a spokesperson for Mayor Quinton Lucas, defended the ordinance and said that some liquor stores have exploited communities with a disproportionate number of liquor stores. —Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026

Investors have become much more bullish on the company as premium large formats take a disproportionate share of box office. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 21 May 2026

Women continue performing a disproportionate amount of unpaid labor, including childcare coordination, household management, and emotional caregiving -- even while employed full-time. —Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

The amount of vitriol aimed at Amanda versus West has been wildly disproportionate, in my estimation. —Marlow Stern, Variety, 20 May 2026

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