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
China wields disproportionate influence over downstream industries with its dominance of the complex separation and refining capacity.
—
Dave Smith, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
Did a disproportionate number of players sign one-year deals that winter?
—Will Sammon, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
The Department of Health and Human Services found disproportionate enrollment gains among Black and Latino Americans, helping to reduce racial disparities in coverage.
—Christopher Robertson, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025
No local or state police force, no matter how underfunded or poorly managed, would operate in this way because police departments teach their officers the dangers of using disproportionate force when their lives are not being put at risk.
—Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disproportionate
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Dave Smith, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
Did a disproportionate number of players sign one-year deals that winter?
—Will Sammon, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
The Department of Health and Human Services found disproportionate enrollment gains among Black and Latino Americans, helping to reduce racial disparities in coverage.
—Christopher Robertson, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025
No local or state police force, no matter how underfunded or poorly managed, would operate in this way because police departments teach their officers the dangers of using disproportionate force when their lives are not being put at risk.
—Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disproportionate
Cite this Entry
“Disproportionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disproportionate. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
disproportionate
adjective
dis·pro·por·tion·ate
ˌdis-prə-ˈpōr-sh(ə-)nət
-ˈpȯr-
: being out of proportion
disproportionately
adverb
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