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

The Iran war is having a disproportionate impact on the world’s most vulnerable nations due to higher fuel and fertilizer prices and risks to jobs and livelihoods, several international economic organizations have warned. —Alayna Treene, CNN Money, 30 May 2026

The housing market ended up bearing a disproportionate cost from successful scammers who filed fraudulent claims filed under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 29 May 2026

Building trust requires investing a disproportionate amount of time, value, ideas and financial resources to build goodwill, maintain a lasting position and ensure long-term success. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

Many of these areas are home to low-income communities and communities of color that already experience disproportionate harms from pollution and other environmental hazards, said Deja McCauley, land use and health program manager with the nonprofit Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles. —Los Angeles Times, 27 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