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

Their disproportionate use of force, smoke grenades and pepper balls against the public, including our own Representative Adelita Grijalva, is not justified and cannot be tolerated. —Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025

According to Edwards, many executives are beginning to realize that even minor disturbances, often invisible or intermittent, can create disproportionate consequences. —Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025

Early on, a car radio reports on systemic harassment from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that has led to disproportionate rates of Indigenous people being incarcerated. —Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 4 Dec. 2025

Black women also report facing disproportionate levels of unfair treatment in health care settings, according to KFF Health News. —Zinhle Essamuah, NBC news, 25 Nov. 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