disproportionate
Americanadjective
adjective
verb
Usage
What does disproportionate mean? Disproportionate means uneven or out of balance with something in terms of size, ratio, degree, or extent.Disproportionate is the opposite of proportionate. Proportionate is the adjective form of the noun proportion, which refers to the relative size of two or more things. When something is described as disproportionate to something else, it means they are somehow unevenly matched.Example: The military response—striking a dozen different sites with missiles—has been criticized as disproportionate to the act that supposedly provoked it—a single plane briefly entering a no-fly zone.
Other Word Forms
- disproportionately adverb
- disproportionateness noun
Etymology
Origin of disproportionate
First recorded in 1544–55; dis- 1 + proportionate
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The court said the request for a three-month suspension was "disproportionate" - but did order age verification for the sale of adult products.
From BBC
Only young female participants were included, a group in which anxiety and sleep problems have been increasing at a disproportionate rate.
From Science Daily
Becky said her daughter also began receiving sanctions she viewed as disproportionate.
From BBC
A sustained downturn in the stock market would be an even bigger danger because it would hit people who account for a disproportionate share of consumer spending.
From Barron's
A sustained downturn in the stock market would be an even bigger danger because it would hit people who account for a disproportionate share of consumer spending.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
