as in unequal
having or showing a difference that is not fair, reasonable, or expected; too large or too small in relation to something
He believes that middle-class people bear a disproportionate share of the tax burden. A disproportionate number of the students are poor.
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Recent Examples of disproportionate
Those mandates hit women – who frequently shoulder a disproportionate share of the responsibility for kids and chores –particularly hard, especially at a time when parents are feeling pressured to commit more hours to their children.
—
Bailey Schulz, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
In such an environment, the smallest gestures carry disproportionate weight.
—Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Transgender people, particularly Black and Latina trans women, face disproportionate rates of violence and discrimination—statistics that hover in the background of every celebratory gathering.
—Essence, 6 Sep. 2025
Insurgent brands account for a disproportionate share of the growth in consumer goods last year.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disproportionate
Bailey Schulz, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
In such an environment, the smallest gestures carry disproportionate weight.
—Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Transgender people, particularly Black and Latina trans women, face disproportionate rates of violence and discrimination—statistics that hover in the background of every celebratory gathering.
—Essence, 6 Sep. 2025
Insurgent brands account for a disproportionate share of the growth in consumer goods last year.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disproportionate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disproportionate
Adjective
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Corporate governance has long grappled with the challenge of information asymmetry—the unequal distribution of critical knowledge between management and oversight bodies such as boards and shareholders.—
Michael Hilb,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Clairet alleges her tenure at Disney started on unequal footing, accusing the company of hiring a man for the same work but with a more senior title and higher pay.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Recognizing the value of diverse skills, creating mutual trust, and deliberately building team cohesion are lessons every executive can apply on Earth.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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The United States became more demographically diverse, and fewer people were married from 2023 to 2024.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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While giants like Diageo and Pernod Ricard dominate volumes, smaller distilleries like Torabhaig are carving out space by leaning into provenance, limited releases, and distinctive house styles.—
Gina Pace,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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At least with this latest batch of iPhones, Apple has made those options much more distinctive and has finally brought some interesting physical variety to the market.—
Bob O’Donnell,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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After the very recent birth of their child, Un has taken a break from the all-consuming demands of restaurateuring to attend to the entirely distinct all-consuming demands of early parenthood.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
14 Sep. 2025
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After monitoring them for two years, the researchers directly observed the birth of two different species of males with distinct genomes from a single queen.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Because the sliding molecules are built into the gel (not just mixed in), their motion directly couples with the gel’s stretching.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
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Known for excellent hazy IPAs as well as a stellar mixed fermentation/sour program, Hill Farmstead is worth the drive as some beer people consider a visit to their small but inviting tasting room almost a religious pilgrimage.—
Em Sauter,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
During an interview Monday, Marcum said several cars parked at the apartment complex were struck by gunfire.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Sep. 2025
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Gospel music played on speakers, family members served chicken soup, strangers hugged each other, friends left carrying several plates stuffed with leftover food.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disproportionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disproportionate. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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