disproportionate

adjective

dis·​pro·​por·​tion·​ate ˌdis-prə-ˈpȯr-sh(ə-)nət How to pronounce disproportionate (audio)
Synonyms of disproportionatenext
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The advisory, shared in June 2017, came in light of disproportionate policing of Black residents in the state. Sofi Zeman april 25, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2026 Yet — even with the potential for Hispanic drivers to be misclassified as white — Hispanics made up a disproportionate share of drivers arrested for traffic violations, according to the ACLU. Jake Shore, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026 Modi’s party said the revision was a routine administrative exercise carried out across multiple states and argued that any disproportionate impact in West Bengal reflects the presence of undocumented migrants. ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026 Speeding remains a major hazard on non-interstate rural roads, and the NHTSA has stated that rural fatal crashes involve roads with speed limits of 55 mph or higher at a disproportionate number. Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disproportionate

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of disproportionate was in 1555

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disproportionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disproportionate. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

disproportionate

adjective
dis·​pro·​por·​tion·​ate ˌdis-prə-ˈpōr-sh(ə-)nət How to pronounce disproportionate (audio)
-ˈpȯr-
: being out of proportion
disproportionately adverb

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