out of proportion

prepositional phrase

Not in a proper or pleasing relation to other things, especially in terms of size.

“I only said that she wasn't as young as she used to be, and her response was out of proportion.”

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Meanings

prepositional phrase

alternative out of all proportion

  1. idiomaticNot in a proper or pleasing relation to other things, especially in terms of size.

    I only said that she wasn't as young as she used to be, and her response was out of proportion.

    1 more example

    Six days of the week it [work] soils / With its sickening poison — / Just for paying a few bills! / That's out of proportion.

    1955, Philip Larkin, The Less Deceived, Toads

Translations

Esperanto misproporcia
  • misproporciaTranslations
Finnish kohtuuton, suhteeton
  • kohtuutonTranslations
  • suhteetonTranslations
French hors de proportion, disproportionné
  • hors de proportionTranslations
  • disproportionnéTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

out of proportion. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/out%20of%20proportion

MLA

“out of proportion.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/out%20of%20proportion. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “out of proportion,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/out%20of%20proportion.

Source: out of proportion on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.