proportionally similar

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "proportionally similar" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing relationships or comparisons between two or more objects, figures, or concepts that maintain the same ratio or scale. Example: "The two triangles are proportionally similar, meaning their corresponding sides are in the same ratio."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

And he has said repeatedly that the racial makeup of the people stopped and frisked is proportionally similar to the racial makeup of people committing crimes.

The New York Times

The jump in sales for Ms. Houston, whose music is released by Sony, is proportionally similar to the posthumous sales jump for Michael Jackson, another Sony artist.

The New York Times

The discovery of Ambulocetus showed that Fish's prediction is probably correct: limbs of Ambulocetus are proportionally similar to modern river otters (Thewissen and Fish 1997).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

This study has important implications for claw functional morphology of fossil bird and non-avian dinosaur taxa that possess proportionally similar claws as those described here.

Plosone

A proportionally similar distribution of fates is seen whether the seed region is taken to be nt 2 7, or nt 2 8 (Table 4).

Plosone

Because using data for each of the individual housekeeping genes provided proportionally similar ratio results, an average target gene to housekeeping genes ratio was calculated for each sample tested.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

Or, the fact that women who defend themselves against domestic violence are often imprisoned, with lengthy sentences, because self-defense laws and penalties have historically been based on stranger assaults -- between people assumed to be relatively proportionally physically similar -- which are overwhelmingly experienced by men.

Huffington Post

And while I realize that 12 to 15 million people in a country as large as the U.S. is smaller proportionally than a similar number in, say, Canada (where, of course, there is universal coverage), it's still a huge number.

Huffington Post

Using this mask, our a priori search volume is substantially smaller than the entire brain, and thus the risk of false positive activations when using a threshold of p<0.001 and 5 voxels is reduced proportionally (for a similar procedure, see [16]).

Plosone

This number is about three times the number of TFs in rice so proportionally is very similar if allowance is made for the hexaploidy of wheat.

BMC Genomics

Oval faces are similar, proportionally, to an upside-down egg.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "proportionally similar", ensure that you are comparing items where the ratios between their corresponding parts are equal, not just their absolute sizes. Use this phrase to highlight that the relationship between the parts is consistent across the items being compared.

Common error

A common mistake is to use "proportionally similar" when only a general resemblance is intended, without actual proportional relationships. Before using the phrase, verify that the relevant aspects maintain a consistent ratio; otherwise, opt for simpler terms like "similar" or "comparable".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "proportionally similar" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to describe a specific type of similarity. It indicates that the elements being compared share a relationship where their corresponding parts maintain the same relative size or ratio. Ludwig AI confirms the acceptability of this usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

85%

News & Media

8%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "proportionally similar" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase, especially in scientific and academic contexts. It describes situations where items are similar and maintain consistent ratios between their parts. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is acceptable for use. When writing, ensure that a genuine proportional relationship exists between the items being compared, and avoid using the term loosely for general resemblances. Alternatives such as "proportionately alike" or "similarly scaled" can be used for variety. The most authoritative sources using the phrase are primarily scientific journals such as PlosOne, BMC Genomics, and AAPS PharmSciTech, further reinforcing its technical application.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

proportionately alike

Changes the word order and uses a different synonym for "similar".

similarly scaled

Focuses on the scaling aspect of similarity, implying that the proportions are maintained through scaling.

comparatively proportional

Inverts the order and emphasizes the comparative aspect of proportionality.

correspondingly analogous

Uses more formal synonyms for both "proportionally" and "similar", resulting in a more formal tone.

in direct proportion and resemblance

Breaks down the phrase into its components, emphasizing both the proportional relationship and the resemblance.

maintaining equivalent ratios

Focuses specifically on the mathematical aspect of maintaining equivalent ratios between elements.

uniformly comparable in scale

Emphasizes uniformity and comparability across the entire scale.

relatively uniform in proportion

Highlights relative uniformity in proportions.

equally proportioned and alike

Stresses equality in proportions and overall likeness.

consistently scaled comparably

Emphasizes consistency in scaling and comparability.

FAQs

How do you use "proportionally similar" in a sentence?

Use "proportionally similar" to describe items or sets where the relationship or ratio between their components is consistent. For example, "The growth rates of the two populations were "proportionally similar", indicating they were affected by the environment in the same way."

What's the difference between "proportionally similar" and "similar"?

"Similar" implies a general resemblance, while "proportionally similar" specifies that the items not only resemble each other but also maintain the same ratios between their respective parts. Proportional similarity is a more precise term.

What can I say instead of "proportionally similar"?

Alternatives include "proportionately alike", "similarly scaled", or "comparatively proportional" depending on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "proportionally similar"?

It's appropriate to use "proportionally similar" when the intent is to emphasize that not only are two or more things alike, but their components maintain the same ratios or scale. For example in science, when describing the features of a bone as being "proportionally similar" to another.