disproportionate

adjective

dis·​pro·​por·​tion·​ate ˌdis-prə-ˈpȯr-sh(ə-)nət 

: 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

Reports of the disproportionate use of force by the authorities need to be urgently investigated. —Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025

This could be especially true for Black, Latino, immigrant and working-class employees who already face disproportionate workplace surveillance and bias. —James Felton Keith, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025

With his disproportionate length, athletic twitch and physicality, Josephs might be this draft’s version of Donovan Ezeiruaku, a top-50 draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys in April. —Dane Brugler, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025

Between 2014 and 2023, Indigenous people in Wisconsin died by suicide at disproportionate rates than any other racial group. —Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 9 Sep. 2025

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

Rhymes for disproportionate

• extortionate
• proportionate

Kids Definition

disproportionate

adjective

dis·​pro·​por·​tion·​ate ˌdis-prə-ˈpōr-sh(ə-)nət 

-ˈpȯr-

: being out of proportion

disproportionately adverb