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 suit alleges that workers 55 and above have represented a disproportionate share of the recent layoffs. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026

Those with less time, technical literacy, or resources to detect and circumvent these practices bear a disproportionate burden. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

These include the disproportionate influence of traders and intermediaries over prices, often as a result of monopsony (a market with only one major buyer); cartelization; conflicts of interest; rent-seeking; and limited price discovery mechanisms. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026

According to the World Economic Forum, women perform a disproportionate share of emotional labor in professional settings, from taking on invisible tasks at work to maintaining team harmony and managing other people’s needs. — Kelly Ehlers, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 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