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# disproportionate

adjective (disproportionate)

«disproportionate» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

Too large or too small compared with something else; not in a fair or sensible proportion: «a disproportionate punishment». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disproportionate/#m1)

### In the lessons

In maths: proportion and ratio — a disproportionate share is more (or less) than the fair share. In ethics and law: a punishment should fit the wrongdoing; a disproportionate one is unfair. In science and drawing: a figure with disproportionate parts (a head too big for the body). Phrases: «disproportionate to», «a disproportionate amount», «disproportionately large».

### Examples

- Missing a whole term of football for being late once seemed a disproportionate punishment. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disproportionate/#x1)
- The giant had disproportionate hands, far too big for his body. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disproportionate/#x2)
- A disproportionate number of the sweets went to Sam. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disproportionate/#x3)
- The cost of the repair was disproportionate to the value of the old bike. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disproportionate/#x4)
- The drawing looks odd because the legs are disproportionate. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disproportionate/#x5)
- Small schools spend a disproportionate amount on heating. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disproportionate/#x6)

### Note

Formal. Adverb: «disproportionately». Opposite: «proportionate». In maths problems: if a share is disproportionate, it does not match the ratio given — e.g. 3 children sharing equally should each get one-third.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «disproportionate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disproportionate/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«disproportionate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/disproportionate.html) on Mova free.