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.

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Etymology

Origin of disproportionately

disproportionate ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Men who have sex with men are the most disproportionately affected group according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026

"Platforms and products disproportionately fail us in basic safety, data privacy, transparency, and accuracy -- including perpetuating factually incorrect information about our lives."

From Barron's • Jun. 30, 2026

U.S. equities account for a disproportionately large share of global market capitalization, so a sharp fall in prices would likely be felt by investors around the world.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 28, 2026

“Resurrectionists” – body snatchers – exhumed the recently buried, disproportionately targeting the poor, the institutionalized and those without family protection or the financial means to guard graves.

From Science Daily • Jun. 21, 2026

It had a disproportionately large keyhole in the center.

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull

Related Words

• extremely
• immensely
• improperly
• inordinately
• overly
• too
• unfairly
• unjustifiably
• unjustly
• unnecessarily
• unreasonably