be proportionate for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be proportionate for" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to express the idea of something being appropriate or suitable in relation to something else, but the construction is awkward. Example: "The response should be proportionate for the situation at hand."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"The fees need to be proportionate for the way that the ground transportation is being used," Fang said, adding that rental car companies need parking lots and shuttles and other infrastructure at airports.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Each of the social networks are preparing to explain how current powers are proportionate for tackling provocative material.

The Guardian

There was also concern honours were not awarded evenly across the UK, with Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and some English regions receiving more than is proportionate for their size.

The Guardian

Today Harris told Mr Justice Ouseley that "it could not possibly have been proportionate for the conduct committee to have effectively adopted a 'one strike and you are out for good' approach".

The Guardian - Sport

"What is proportionate for a repeat offender is different to what is proportionate for a first time offender".

BBC

Returning to the Belgian data protection case, Facebook has since sought to argue its tracking cookies are an important security measure for users of the site — albeit it has not provided any public comment on how it is proportionate for an online service to systematically track non-users even for, ostensibly, security purposes.

TechCrunch

Samsung will also reap some benefits, it notes, although that will be proportionate to weaker demand for its brand.

TechCrunch

Hancock said that limitations to protest should be proportionate, adding: "It would be wrong for those very people in power to be able to forbid protests because they find them a nuisance".

The Guardian

The cost of a new house must be proportionate to the farmer's income; for this reason, farmhouses in underdeveloped regions have less floor space with a main room (kitchen and dining room), two or three bedrooms, a large washroom, and a storage place.

Encyclopedia Britannica

As DFUs are prevalent and have a negative impact on the quality of life of patients with diabetes, it would stand to reason that U.S. federal funding specifically for DFUs would be proportionate with this burden.

Diabetes Care

For proportional flow rate, the number of opened orifices should be proportionate to applied voltage.

ROBOMECH Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer "be proportionate to" or "be proportional to" for a clearer and more grammatically sound expression of proportionality.

Common error

Avoid using "for" directly after "proportionate". The correct preposition to indicate a relationship of proportionality is "to". Saying "be proportionate for" is generally considered grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be proportionate for" functions as part of a predicate, attempting to describe a relationship of balance or correspondence. However, according to Ludwig AI, this phrasing is generally considered grammatically incorrect, with "be proportionate to" being the standard form.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

8%

Reference

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be proportionate for" aims to express a relationship of balance or suitability. However, Ludwig AI identifies this phrasing as generally grammatically incorrect. The correct and more common usage is "be proportionate to" or simply "be proportional to". While examples exist across various contexts like News & Media and Science, the limited correct usage and grammatical concerns suggest avoiding "be proportionate for" in favor of its more accepted alternatives. When aiming for clarity and correctness, always prefer the standard phrasing to ensure effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be proportional to

A shortened form of 'be proportionate to', more commonly used and accepted.

be proportionate to

Replaces 'for' with 'to', establishing a direct relationship between two quantities.

be commensurate with

Uses a more formal term, 'commensurate,' to indicate a comparable or corresponding relationship.

be appropriate for

Focuses on suitability rather than strict proportionality.

be suitable for

Similar to 'appropriate for', but emphasizes fitness for a particular purpose.

be in proportion to

Rephrases using 'in proportion', highlighting the balanced relationship.

correspond to

Implies a matching or alignment in degree or amount.

align with

Suggests a matching or agreement in terms of scale or importance.

match

A more basic term indicating a direct equivalence or correspondence.

equal

Indicates an exact equivalence or balance.

FAQs

How to correctly use the term "proportionate" in a sentence?

The word "proportionate" is typically followed by "to", as in "The punishment should "be proportionate to" the crime".

What is the difference between "be proportionate to" and "be appropriate for"?

"Be proportionate to" implies a direct, balanced relationship in scale or amount. "Be appropriate for" suggests suitability or fitness for a specific context or purpose.

Is it grammatically correct to say "be proportionate for"?

No, the correct usage is generally considered to "be proportionate to". The preposition "for" is not typically used in this context.

What are some alternatives to "be proportionate to"?

Alternatives include "be commensurate with", "be in proportion to", or simply "be proportional to".