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

Some expressed the view that the emails were disproportionate and that the club had taken a block-first-ask-questions-later approach. — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Climate change having a disproportionate impact on food security in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries, according to a new analysis. — Jamie Hailstone, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Drivers who don’t wear their seatbelt on a short trip, even though these types of journeys account for a disproportionate share of collisions. — Andrei Popoviciu, The Dial, 21 July 2026

The warehouse workers group argues that residents of Will County’s environmental justice communities bear a disproportionate share of the health impacts associated with the county’s industrial growth. — Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 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