improperly sized

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "improperly sized" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an object or item that does not have the correct dimensions or proportions for its intended purpose. Example: "The furniture was improperly sized for the small room, making it feel cramped and uncomfortable."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Judicial missteps--like Judge Harold Baer's recent decision that police in Washington Heights had improperly sized four million dollars' worth of cocaine and heroin--may get all the press, but in reality more than eighty per cent of the felony indictments issued by the Manhattan D.A.'s office result in guilty pleas or jury convictions.

The New Yorker

If you see what many technicians in the HVAC industry have dubbed a "Ductopus," then odds are the house's ductwork may be improperly sized, leaky, or just old.

HuffPost

"The chair needs to have legs low enough so feet sit on the floor," she said, adding that an improperly sized desk or chair can result in shoulder and neck strain.

Los Angeles Times

A total of 56 revisions were performed in the early postoperative period due to either a symptomatic malpositioned implant (N=46) or an improperly sized implant in an asymptomatic patient (N=10).

ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research

For example, improperly sized fingers can stress the latex material of gloves and also cause premature breakdown or tears of the gloves' seams.[6].

WikiHow

Improperly sized systems could seriously deteriorate the performance of system operation and management.

Energy Conversion and Management

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Gapfiller (v1.10) was used to fill gaps (parameter -d 3500 to fill overestimated gap sizes due to improperly oriented paired ends) (Boetzer and Pirovano 2012).

Genome Biology and Evolution

Last month, officials acknowledged that the principal of Stuyvesant, one of the city's most coveted specialized high schools, had improperly reduced the size of the incoming class by about 100.

The New York Times

Modifications included: the use of and a propeller pump instead of a slow-moving paddlewheel, lack of baffle in the waste cells, waste cell to fish cell ratio size, and improperly positioned aerators and DO sensing probes.

Aquacultural Engineering

A trial may have been unpublished not just to hide lesser effects but because its quality was poor — because patients were enrolled incorrectly, groups were assigned improperly or the cohort sizes were too small.

The New York Times - Magazine

(Mexico is badly distorted, with its northern border shown below Baja California, thus improperly enlarging the apparent size of the U.S). Bound from Hawaii and Manila and the West Coast, "American Goods for Foreign Countries" are lined up to pass through the canal to Europe.

Cornell University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing technical specifications or equipment, ensure precise terminology. Use "improperly sized" to highlight deviations from expected or required dimensions.

Common error

Be specific about why something is "improperly sized". Instead of saying "The component was improperly sized", clarify with "The component was improperly sized, leading to instability in the system".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "improperly sized" functions as a pre-modifying adjective phrase, describing a noun by indicating that it does not have the correct dimensions. This is supported by Ludwig, which validates its grammatical correctness and provides examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Wiki

17%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "improperly sized" is a grammatically sound and relatively common phrase used to describe something that is not the correct size for its intended purpose. Ludwig confirms its validity, and it's found in a range of contexts, from news reports and scientific publications to technical manuals. When using this phrase, be sure to clearly specify why the item is "improperly sized" to avoid ambiguity. While "improperly sized" is correct, alternatives like "incorrectly sized" or "inappropriately sized" may be more suitable depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

incorrectly sized

Focuses on the factual inaccuracy of the size.

inappropriately sized

Emphasizes the unsuitability of the size for a particular purpose.

wrongly sized

Implies an error or mistake in determining the size.

badly sized

Suggests a poor quality or outcome related to the sizing.

poorly sized

Highlights the inadequacy of the size.

inadequately sized

Emphasizes that the size is insufficient or not up to the required standard.

mismatched in size

Indicates a lack of coordination or agreement in size.

ill-fitted

Highlights the poor fitting because of the wrong size.

oversized

Indicates that something is too large.

undersized

Indicates that something is too small.

FAQs

What does "improperly sized" mean?

The term "improperly sized" indicates that something is not the correct size for its intended purpose or application. It suggests a mismatch between the object's dimensions and the requirements of its context.

What are some alternatives to saying "improperly sized"?

You can use alternatives like "incorrectly sized", "inappropriately sized", or "poorly sized" depending on the specific context.

How to use "improperly sized" in a sentence?

You can say, "The ductwork was "improperly sized", leading to inefficient heating and cooling", or "An "improperly sized" desk can cause shoulder and neck strain".

What's the difference between "improperly sized" and "wrong size"?

"Improperly sized" implies a more technical or precise assessment of the size being incorrect for its function, whereas "wrong size" is a more general and less formal way of saying something is not the right size.