disproportionately focused

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "disproportionately focused" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where attention or resources are unevenly allocated, often implying that one aspect is receiving more focus than is warranted. Example: "The report revealed that the committee was disproportionately focused on financial issues, neglecting other critical areas such as employee welfare."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

Health research is disproportionately focused on diseases of concern to high-income countries, the report said.

The New York Times

The task force amassed data that shows the extent to which African-Americans appear to have been disproportionately focused on by the police.

The New York Times

A recent report by Just Journalism documents how in 2010, when the stirrings of mass discontent were surely detectable across the region, Middle East coverage by the British broadsheets and the BBC News website was disproportionately focused on Israel.

The Guardian - Opinion

By pretending men's issues are disproportionately focused on, and by implying there is lots of anti-female bias elsewhere, Dean attempts to justify the continuation of attacks on men, and avoidance of men's-issues debates, as is standard in the gender studies orthodoxy today.

The Guardian - Opinion

In an email obtained by the Guardian, she alleged: "Your bulletins and output have become disproportionately focused on the SNP and Tory claims that Labour would enter into a deal which would damage the rest of the UK … We strongly object not only to the scale of your coverage but also the apparent abandonment of any basic news values, with so much reporting now becoming extremely repetitive.

The Guardian

2018's aggressive early stage funding rounds disproportionately focused on companies pursuing emerging fields within cybersecurity.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

If you don't, you leave yourselves vulnerable to accusations of incompetence, enabling those who challenge you to disproportionately focus on discrepancies.

The Guardian

"Wall Street disproportionately focuses on short-term results compared to other industries," said Richard Cellini, a senior vice president at Integrity Interactive, a consulting firm in Waltham, Mass.

The New York Times

Today, critics charge that the United States military disproportionately focuses its recruiting efforts on young blacks and Latinos and that minorities "have been disproportionately represented among service members who have fought and died in Iraq".

The New York Times

One of the great ironies of Obama's foreign policy — one that I described in some detail in a long story last week — is that while he and his advisers insist that their long-term goal is to "rebalance" America's posture from the Middle East to the Far East, the Administration's time, attention, and resources have been disproportionately focussed on the former.

The New Yorker

By Ryan Lizza May 3, 2011 One of the great ironies of Obama's foreign policy — one that I described in some detail in a long story last week — is that while he and his advisers insist that their long-term goal is to "rebalance" America's posture from the Middle East to the Far East, the Administration's time, attention, and resources have been disproportionately focussed on the former.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "disproportionately focused", ensure the context clearly indicates what should have received more or less attention. This strengthens the argument by highlighting the imbalance.

Common error

Avoid using "disproportionately focused" when you mean to convey a lack of interest. "Disinterested" describes a lack of bias, while "uninterested" describes a lack of engagement. "Disproportionately focused" means an uneven distribution of attention, not a lack of it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "disproportionately focused" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun to indicate an imbalanced or uneven allocation of attention, resources, or emphasis. As Ludwig shows, it's used to highlight that certain aspects receive more focus than others, often to an excessive degree.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

44%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "disproportionately focused" is a grammatically correct and frequently employed phrase to describe an uneven distribution of attention or resources. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's primarily found in news and scientific contexts, serving to critique imbalances. To ensure clear communication, specify what should receive more or less focus when using the phrase. Common errors include confusing it with terms denoting a lack of interest. Alternatives like "excessively centered" or "unduly emphasized" can be employed for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excessively centered

This alternative uses "excessively" to emphasize the degree of imbalance, and "centered" as a synonym for focused.

unduly emphasized

This alternative uses "unduly" to suggest inappropriateness, and "emphasized" to convey the focus.

overly concentrated

This alternative replaces "disproportionately" with "overly" and "focused" with "concentrated", highlighting the excessive nature of the focus.

primarily directed

This phrase shifts the focus from the disproportion to the primary direction of attention.

largely fixated

This uses "fixated" which indicates a more intense, perhaps obsessive, focus.

mainly geared

This suggests the focus is intentional and directional.

selectively highlighted

Highlights the choice to focus on something selectively.

unevenly distributed

This phrase changes the verb to describe the allocation of resources or attention.

partially inclined

This suggests a tendency to focus rather than a definite focus.

particularly oriented

This indicates a specific orientation or direction of focus.

FAQs

What does "disproportionately focused" mean?

The phrase "disproportionately focused" means that attention, resources, or effort are allocated unevenly, with one area receiving significantly more focus than others.

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

You can use "disproportionately focused" to describe situations where there's an imbalance in attention or resources. For instance, "The media was "disproportionately focused" on the celebrity scandal, ignoring more pressing issues."

What are some alternatives to "disproportionately focused"?

Alternatives include "excessively centered", "unduly emphasized", or "overly concentrated", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "disproportionately focus on" instead of "disproportionately focused on"?

Both are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "Disproportionately focus on" is a verb phrase indicating an action, while "disproportionately focused on" is an adjective phrase describing something that is focused disproportionately.