be disproportionately surprised

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be disproportionately surprised" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where someone's level of surprise is greater than what would be expected in relation to the circumstances. Example: "After hearing the news, I couldn't help but be disproportionately surprised by the outcome, given the odds."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Nonresidents appear to be disproportionately affluent.

The New York Times

Women are likely to be disproportionately affected.

The Guardian

Even a single storm is disproportionately important.

The Guardian - Tech

Given the Tea Party is disproportionately male, much of this is not a surprise.

Huffington Post

I expressed a related reservation that surprise exams may undercut competition if they were disproportionately costly and burdensome for smaller advisers.

Harvard University

(It should perhaps come as little surprise that the impacted communities in Colombia are disproportionately Afro-descendent and indigenous).

Vice

We all can always improve here, but the biggest surprise to me has been that business success is disproportionately about clear communication.

Forbes

It is no surprise that it is women in Congress who are disproportionately taking it on.

Huffington Post

And they're disproportionately nonwhite.

The New York Times

"Every game is disproportionately important".

The New York Times

They were disproportionately Democrats.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be disproportionately surprised" when you want to emphasize that the level of surprise experienced is not in line with the actual cause or situation. For example, use this phrase when someone is far more shocked than the situation warrants.

Common error

Avoid using "be disproportionately surprised" when a high level of surprise is naturally expected. The impact is lost if the context already implies significant astonishment.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be disproportionately surprised" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb. It specifies the manner in which someone experiences surprise, emphasizing that the degree of surprise is beyond what is warranted or expected.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "be disproportionately surprised" is a grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to describe a state of surprise that exceeds what is expected or reasonable. Although there are no exact examples available in the provided data, Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. As there are no references, it is hard to define a precise usage context, it is mainly related to situation where the surprise is considered unusually great. Some alternatives could be ""be excessively surprised"" or ""be overly surprised"". It's best used when highlighting an overreaction or an unexpectedly strong level of astonishment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be excessively surprised

Emphasizes the excessiveness of the surprise.

be overly surprised

Highlights that the surprise is beyond what is normal or reasonable.

be remarkably surprised

Focuses on how noteworthy the level of surprise is.

be extraordinarily surprised

Indicates an unusual and significant degree of surprise.

be unusually surprised

Draws attention to the atypical nature of the surprise.

be unexpectedly surprised

Highlights that the surprise was not anticipated.

be astonishingly surprised

Emphasizes the feeling of astonishment accompanying the surprise.

be incredibly surprised

Focuses on the intensity of the surprise.

be significantly more surprised

Quantifies the surprise as notably greater than expected.

be considerably more surprised

Suggests that the surprise is noticeably larger in magnitude.

FAQs

How can I use "be disproportionately surprised" in a sentence?

You can use "be disproportionately surprised" to describe a situation where someone's surprise is greater than what is expected. For example: "I couldn't help but "be disproportionately surprised" by the outcome, considering the circumstances."

What can I say instead of "be disproportionately surprised"?

You can use alternatives like "be excessively surprised", "be overly surprised", or "be unusually surprised" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "be disproportionately surprised"?

Yes, "be disproportionately surprised" is a grammatically correct and understandable phrase. It is used to describe a level of surprise that is out of proportion to the situation.

What's the difference between "be disproportionately surprised" and "be very surprised"?

"Be very surprised" simply indicates a high level of surprise. "Be disproportionately surprised" implies that the level of surprise is greater than what would be reasonably expected.