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Synonyms

disproportionately

American  
[dis-pruh-pawr-shuh-nit-lee] / ˌdɪs prəˈpɔr ʃə nɪt li /

adverb

  1. in a way that is out of proper relation with something else in size, number, importance, etc..

    We often allow the minor inconveniences of life—such as traffic jams or technology breakdowns—to disproportionately impact our happiness.

Etymology

Origin of disproportionately

disproportionate ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Your editorial overlooks this primary driver of customer savings and disproportionately attributes falling prices to cellular providers and government spectrum auctions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

He said: "We know, unfortunately, that female candidates and candidates from ethnic minorities within the UK are also disproportionately targeted. So that is an area of concern."

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Demand for so-called discretionary items like clothing and shoes has suffered disproportionately as a result.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

However, the amount of reformation each winter is in decline, as rising temperatures due to climate change disproportionately affect the Arctic.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

It may reach a foot in height, with a disproportionately large head and hard, bony feet.

From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling

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.