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
In the 1980s, as part of the War on Drugs—which focused in wildly disproportionate fashion on arresting Black drug users and sellers—Congress expanded opportunities for the military to provide equipment, training, and other assistance to police departments.
—
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 19 June 2025
Black and brown communities still face disproportionate barriers to health care and housing.
—Eden Lowinger, The Conversation, 18 June 2025
Even if some targets are legitimate, the disproportionate harm to uninvolved civilians cannot be denied.
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 14 June 2025
Merging these statistics together, Moynihan concluded that a disproportionate number of Black fathers were not living at home with their children.
—Augustine Sedgewick, Time, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for disproportionate
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 19 June 2025
Black and brown communities still face disproportionate barriers to health care and housing.
—Eden Lowinger, The Conversation, 18 June 2025
Even if some targets are legitimate, the disproportionate harm to uninvolved civilians cannot be denied.
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 14 June 2025
Merging these statistics together, Moynihan concluded that a disproportionate number of Black fathers were not living at home with their children.
—Augustine Sedgewick, Time, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for disproportionate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disproportionate
Adjective
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States were able to build more prosperous economies without fearing that a greater military power would conquer them or force them into unequal treaties to fork over the spoils.—
Oona A. Hathaway,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
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Educational inequality, unequal access to resources and opportunities in schools, and persistent academic achievement gaps between Black and white students.—
Willie Wilson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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The extremely diverse group speaks nine different languages and a quarter of the recruits are women, a higher number than any previous class, agency officials said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2025
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The firm’s name references Houston’s South Loop, which connects various historically diverse neighborhoods and is near the historically Black Third Ward, Beyoncé’s birthplace.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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There is very little on the menu that’s distinctive.—
Eric E. Harrison,
Arkansas Online,
25 June 2025
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Unlike compensation packages that competitors can readily replicate, values alignment creates a distinctive organizational signature that strongly resists imitation—genuine congruence between how leaders navigate complex decisions and how your organization operates daily.—
Tara Fitzpatrick-Navarro,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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While the divergence between the two is fair, its explanation lies elsewhere: Investor valuations and retail prices differ because they are driven by distinct fundamentals and considerations.—
Thibault Adrien,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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Regardless of how the Fendi role shakes up, Chavarria is leaving a distinct mark on the global fashion industry.—
Robyn Mowatt,
Essence,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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Jeff Rueter: The opening weekend gave a mixed first impression, with some stale atmospheres and Bayern’s 10-0 pasting of poor Auckland City giving little reason for neutrals to buy into the tournament.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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Given the affordable housing crisis, Vienna’s social housing model has been given enormous media exposure and has been studied by numerous advocacy groups with mixed views.—
Jan Goldsmith,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Advertisement Advertisement The Gilded Age is fiction, but informed deeply by history, with several characters that are based on real people.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
23 June 2025
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In Times Square on Saturday evening, several people told the Daily News that the U.S. attack on Iran had left them feeling skeptical and scared.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
22 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disproportionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disproportionate. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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