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

But Kennedy didn’t appear to publicly address a Native health program using traditional medicine and foods to tackle disproportionate rates of conditions such as diabetes and liver disease. —Devna Bose, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2025

Women, too, may bear a disproportionate burden of the effects of tariffs. —Kirstie McDermott | This Column Was Created By Jobbio, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025

That has gotten a little bit of disproportionate attention. —Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025

Advocacy groups and immigration lawyers noted at the time a disproportionate impact on applicants from African nations and Muslim-majority countries. —Alex Ashley, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 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