disproportionately to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "disproportionately to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something is not in proportion or balance with something else, often in terms of impact or effect. Example: "The funding was allocated disproportionately to urban areas, leaving rural communities underserved."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

For example, women might apply disproportionately to be cashiers and men disproportionately to work in receiving.

The New York Times

For them, the disease leads disproportionately to death.

The New York Times

G.I. Bill benefits went disproportionately to white veterans.

The New Yorker

Subsidies in Indonesia, as elsewhere, go disproportionately to the rich.

The Economist

"Gains have indeed flowed disproportionately to the richest within many countries, including in the UK".

The Guardian

The defence budget has been used "disproportionately to support the British defence industry".

The Guardian - Opinion

As a result, what little government money there was went disproportionately to application-driven research.

The Guardian

Why, then, might funders be removing funding disproportionately to LGBT people?

The Guardian

We are killed disproportionately to any other race in these United States of America".

The Guardian

Across the U.S. the death penalty is applied disproportionately to blacks who kill whites.

The New York Times

In particular, markets often react disproportionately to news, especially bad news.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "disproportionately to", ensure that you clearly specify both the affected group and the baseline for comparison to avoid ambiguity. For example, instead of saying "funding was allocated disproportionately", specify "funding was allocated disproportionately to urban areas compared to rural areas".

Common error

Avoid using "disproportionately to" without explicitly stating the other group or factor being compared. This omission can lead to confusion and weaken the impact of your statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "disproportionately to" functions as a prepositional phrase, indicating that something is not in proportion or balance with something else. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable nature in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Science

39%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Huffington Post

2%

Independent

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "disproportionately to" is a common and grammatically correct way to indicate an imbalance or unequal distribution, according to Ludwig. It is frequently found in news, media, and scientific contexts to emphasize that something affects one group or entity more than another. To ensure clarity, specifying both the affected group and the baseline for comparison is crucial. While various alternatives exist, such as "unequally distributed to" or "out of proportion to", the core meaning remains consistent: highlighting a lack of proportional relationship.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unequally distributed to

Highlights the unequal allocation, placing emphasis on the distribution aspect.

out of proportion to

Focuses on the lack of proper scaling or ratio between two elements.

in excess compared to

Emphasizes that something is more than what's expected or justified.

to a greater extent than

A more general way of indicating that something affects one group more than another.

more heavily weighted toward

Implies that a particular aspect is given more significance or influence.

excessively allocated to

Highlights an over-allocation to a certain area or thing.

with undue emphasis on

Implies an inappropriate or excessive focus on something.

unevenly applied to

Implies inconsistency or bias in how something is administered or used.

skewed heavily toward

Indicates a leaning or bias in favor of a particular group or direction.

preferentially given to

Implies that certain groups or individuals are favored over others.

FAQs

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

Use "disproportionately to" to show that something affects a group or thing to a greater degree than others. For example, "The disease affects the elderly "disproportionately to" younger adults".

What are some alternatives to the phrase "disproportionately to"?

You can use alternatives like "unequally distributed to", "out of proportion to", or "to a greater extent than" depending on the context to convey a similar meaning. For example, instead of "benefits flowed "disproportionately to" the rich", you could say "benefits flowed "to a greater extent than" the poor".

Is it correct to say "disproportionately for" instead of "disproportionately to"?

While "disproportionately" can be followed by other prepositions, "disproportionately to" is generally used to compare the degree to which something affects different groups or things. "Disproportionately for" is less common and might sound awkward to native English speakers.

What's the difference between "disproportionately to" and "proportionally to"?

"Disproportionately to" indicates an unequal or imbalanced relationship, while "proportionally to" indicates a balanced or equal relationship. Saying something is distributed "proportionally to" size means larger entities receive more.