English Reference
Adverb

proportionally

adv.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /pɹəˈpɔɹʃənəɫi/ UK /pɹəpˈɔːʃənəli/ pro·por·tion·al·ly

adv.in a way that keeps the size or amount of one thing in the right relationship to another. You use this when you want to say that two things are balanced or fair.

adv.in a manner that maintains a consistent ratio or relationship between parts. Often used to describe scaling or distribution that reflects a specific percentage or share.


SIMPLE

The new office is proportionally larger than the old one.

CONTEXTUAL

The company increased its marketing budget proportionally to the rise in sales last quarter.

COMPLEX

The architect designed the building so that the windows are proportionally sized to the height of the walls, creating a sense of balance and symmetry.

Anthocyanins, which are responsible for the color of blueberries, are proportionally more significant and abundant in the fruit than flavanols, says Schwarcz.

The Guardian· 10 Sept 2026

They saw declines in SIF that scaled proportionally with the amount of vegetation lost due to fire.

Phys.org· 3 Sept 2026

From proportional + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated