disproportionately costly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "disproportionately costly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where the costs associated with something are significantly higher than what is considered reasonable or expected. Example: "The new regulations have proven to be disproportionately costly for small businesses, leading many to struggle financially."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

But you can't insist on this if it would be disproportionately costly for the seller.

The Guardian - Money

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

Harvard University

And if it isn't possible to repair or replace the goods or if it would be disproportionately costly to do so, the supplier has the option of providing a partial or full refund instead.

The Guardian - Money

Supporting evidence for this is that the initialization of an empty DistArray (copy_empty) becomes disproportionately costly when increasing the number of processes used.

Journal of Big Data

Perhaps most notable is the notion that product developers consider user needs research to be disproportionately costly, in light of the perceived benefits and pay-off for engaging in such activities.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

And if they do, the insurance firms that offer policies via the exchanges will find that their pool of customers is disproportionately sick and costly to cover.

The Economist

Democrats say it would be costly and disproportionately benefit the rich.

The Washington Post

Herpes zoster is a costly disease that disproportionately affects the elderly.

BMC Infectious Diseases

The question we asked was whether an existing and costly handout that currently disproportionately enriches the better-off could be drastically improved upon.

The Guardian - Opinion

They note that in some other species, environmental stress tends to disproportionately affect the larger sex and mute costly secondary sexual characteristics (like male birds' displays of plumage).

The New York Times - Science

These investments, although relatively small in dollars, are disproportionately important to reducing the risk of more costly U.S. military engagements.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "disproportionately costly", ensure that the context clearly establishes what the cost is being compared to, highlighting the imbalance.

Common error

Avoid using "disproportionately costly" when simply describing something as expensive. The phrase implies a cost that is excessive in relation to the benefit or other comparable factors.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "disproportionately costly" functions as an adverb-adjective combination that modifies a noun to indicate that the associated cost is excessively high relative to a certain benchmark. Ludwig confirms that the phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "disproportionately costly" is a valid and grammatically correct expression used to describe situations where the costs are excessively high in relation to the benefits or other relevant factors. Ludwig AI finds its usage across various domains like news, science, and academia, though its overall frequency is rare. The phrase serves to express criticism or concern about costs perceived as unfair or unsustainable. While alternatives like "unduly expensive" or "excessively expensive" exist, "disproportionately costly" specifically highlights the imbalance between cost and value. Effective use requires clarity in establishing the basis for comparison, avoiding its application to simply describe something as generally expensive.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unduly expensive

Replaces "costly" with "expensive" and "disproportionately" with "unduly", emphasizing the excessive nature of the cost.

excessively expensive

Similar to "unduly expensive" but conveys a stronger sense of overpricing or excessiveness.

unreasonably expensive

Focuses on the lack of justification for the high cost, implying it's unfair or unwarranted.

prohibitively expensive

Highlights that the cost is so high it prevents someone from being able to afford it or undertake an action.

exorbitantly priced

Replaces "costly" with a more formal term, "priced", and emphasizes an extreme level of cost.

overly burdensome

Shifts the focus from cost to the burden or hardship imposed, which may not be solely monetary.

unjustifiably high cost

Emphasizes that the cost is not only high but also lacks a valid reason or explanation.

inordinately expensive

Uses a less common synonym for "disproportionately" to convey a sense of excess.

disproportionate financial burden

Replaces adjective "costly" with noun "financial burden", highlighting the weight of the expense.

uneconomical

Implies that the endeavor or item isn't a smart financial decision, even if technically affordable.

FAQs

How can I use "disproportionately costly" in a sentence?

You can use "disproportionately costly" to describe something that is excessively expensive in relation to its value or benefit. For example: "The repairs to the old building were "disproportionately costly", given its age and condition."

What's a good alternative to "disproportionately costly"?

Alternatives include "unduly expensive", "excessively expensive", or "unreasonably expensive". The best choice depends on the nuance you want to convey.

What does "disproportionately" mean in the context of cost?

In the context of cost, "disproportionately" means that the expense is out of balance or scale with what is considered reasonable or justifiable. It suggests that the cost is significantly higher than expected or warranted.

Is it redundant to say "disproportionately costly"?

While "costly" already implies a high cost, "disproportionately costly" emphasizes that the cost is not just high but excessively high relative to something else, such as the value received or the resources available. Therefore, it is not necessarily redundant but adds a specific nuance.