outsized

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'outsized' is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adjective that means excessively large or disproportionately large compared to the standard size. For example, you can use the sentence: "The city has an outsized influence on the national economy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But Greek voters are equally certain that it's unfair for them to suffer years of slim government budgets and high unemployment in order to repay foreign banks and richer northern neighbors, which have reaped outsized benefits from closer European integration.

The New York Times

Once completed, it will expand an already lengthy list of outsized projects that are apparently intended to burnish the reputation of the former Soviet Union's poorest country.

The Guardian

Asked about the outsized role of money in politics, Cruz said he understood voters' frustration but that could not trump the constitutional rights to free speech.

The Guardian

Pepe Billete is just so wrong in so many ways, but the crude and rude Hialeah puppet that lampoons every outsized dinosaur cliche of the #305 has a huge following.

The Guardian

Backhouse's masterpiece was "Weardale Perfection", a famously robust, late-flowering Narcissus with tall stems and large blooms, composed of an ivory white perianth and outsized lemon yellow trumpet.

The Guardian

Indeed, one preoccupation of regulators is that shares in IPOs have not always been allocated in proportion to the amount of broking business a client does.Non-binding banter often takes place with good clients, say Wall StreetersThe chief concern is about what other clients did to get an outsized allocation.

The Economist

Mr Brooks tries to argue that America's "stagnant human capital, its stagnant social mobility and the disorganized social fabric for the bottom 50 percent" is a bigger problem than the top 1%'s outsized gains.

The Economist

That outsized burden has long rankled Okinawan residents.

The Economist

The details of the bargain were contestable; it was a shame they promised to continue Scotland's outsized share of public spending.

The Economist

This reform is supposed to counter the outsized influence of party bases; in safe seats, the argument goes, candidates from the party in power must appeal to their base in the primary rather than the general electorate, dragging them to the extremes (witness Mitt Romney's shameless pandering on illegal immigration during the 2012 Republican debates).

The Economist

More basic, though, is the question of whether Mr Paul is correct about the source of Kentucky's outsized take of the federal budget.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "outsized", ensure that the context clearly indicates what the standard or expected size is to emphasize the deviation.

Common error

Avoid using "outsized" when simply referring to something large without implying that it's disproportionate to something else. Instead, use "large" or "big" when no comparison is intended.

Linguistic Context

The word "outsized" functions primarily as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate that something is unusually or disproportionately large. As Ludwig AI confirms, this usage is grammatically correct and well-supported by numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Formal & Business

29%

Science

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "outsized" is an adjective used to describe something unusually large or disproportionate, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It functions to emphasize the exceptional size or impact, and can be used in different contexts. The phrase sees very common use in news, formal business, and technical sources. While several alternatives like "disproportionate" and "oversized" exist, it is important to choose one that matches the nuance and context of the idea you are expressing. Avoid using it when simply referring to something large without implying it is disproportionate to something.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

oversized

A direct synonym focusing on the physical size being larger than normal.

disproportionate

Highlights the imbalance or lack of proportion rather than just size.

inordinate

Implies that something is exceeding reasonable limits.

excessive

Emphasizes that something is beyond what is considered normal or acceptable.

undue

Highlights that something is inappropriately large or significant.

exaggerated

Suggests that the size or importance is overstated.

considerable

Indicates that something is large enough to be important or noticeable.

substantial

Focuses on the large amount or degree of something.

extraordinary

Emphasizes that something is beyond the ordinary in terms of size or impact.

remarkable

Focuses on the fact that something is worthy of attention because of its size or impact.

FAQs

How to use "outsized" in a sentence?

"Outsized" is used to describe something that is unusually large. For example, "The company has an "outsized influence" on the market."

What can I say instead of "outsized"?

You can use alternatives like "disproportionate", "oversized", or "excessive" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "outsized" or "oversized"?

Both "outsized" and "oversized" are correct, but "outsized" often implies a disproportionate impact or influence, while "oversized" primarily refers to physical dimensions.

What's the difference between "outsized" and "exaggerated"?

"Outsized" refers to something that is actually larger than expected, while "exaggerated" suggests that something is represented as being larger than it actually is.