disproportionate

adjective

dis·​pro·​por·​tion·​ate ˌdis-prə-ˈpȯr-sh(ə-)nət How to pronounce disproportionate (audio)
Synonyms of disproportionate
: being out of proportion
a disproportionate share
disproportionately adverb

Examples of disproportionate in a Sentence

He believes that middle-class people bear a disproportionate share of the tax burden. A disproportionate number of the students are poor.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Those with large deficits, such as the United Kingdom, recovered more quickly and suffered less severe financial distress than the United States, which absorbed a disproportionate share of the costs. — Michael Pettis, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026 Pancreatic cancer kills a disproportionate share of the people who get it. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 Others asserted that the legal system often had disproportionate effects on the most vulnerable communities — including minorities, low-income people, and disabled people. — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026 Children under five — some too young to have received their second dose, others unvaccinated by parental choice — account for a fifth of this year’s infections and a disproportionate share of hospitalizations. — A.j. Russo, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disproportionate

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin disprōportiōnātus, past participle of disprōportiōnāre "to make out of proportion," from Latin dis- dis- + Medieval Latin prōportiōnāre "to compose according to proportions" — more at proportion entry 2

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disproportionate was in 1555

Rhymes for disproportionate

See All Rhymes for disproportionate

Browse Nearby Words

disproportional
disproportionate
disproportionated rosin
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Cite this Entry

“Disproportionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disproportionate. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

disproportionate

adjective
dis·​pro·​por·​tion·​ate ˌdis-prə-ˈpōr-sh(ə-)nət How to pronounce disproportionate (audio)
-ˈpȯr-
: being out of proportion
disproportionately adverb

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