proportional
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.changing in size, amount, or degree according to something else.
adj.corresponding in size or amount to something else; maintaining a constant ratio as another variable changes.
Simple“The punishment should be proportional to the crime.”
In context“The weight of the object is directly proportional to its mass, meaning that as mass increases, the weight increases at a constant rate.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'to'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
adj.describing a style of printing where different letters take up different amounts of space.
adj.relating to a typeface where characters have varying widths based on their natural shape, rather than a fixed width.
Simple“Most books use a proportional font because it is easier to read than a typewriter style.”
In context“Proportional spacing allows the letter 'i' to occupy significantly less horizontal space than the letter 'm', resulting in a more aesthetically pleasing text block.”
Synonymsvariable widthAntonymsmonospacefixed width - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.an old word for a portion or a ratio.
n.a value or quantity that exists in a specific ratio to another.
Simple“The old text discussed the mathematical proportional of the two circles.”
In context“In his early seventeenth-century treatise, the author calculates the exact proportional required to balance the architectural load.”
Teacher's tipThis noun sense is extremely rare in modern English; learners should use 'proportion' or 'ratio' instead.
Synonyms
Usage directly proportional · proportional to
“Dearden feels half a dozen hits is proportional to what would be expected.”
“In the UK, the 2024 general election produced the country's least proportional result on record, with Labour securing 63% of the seats after receiving 33.7% of the vote.”