proportionate
- 01 C1 Advanced
adj.having the correct size, amount, or degree in relation to something else.
adj.corresponding in size, degree, or intensity to something else; maintaining a consistent ratio.
Simple“The punishment should be proportionate to the crime committed.”
In context“The management argued that the salary increases were proportionate to the recent rise in the cost of living.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'to'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
adj.having parts that fit together well and look balanced.
adj.exhibiting harmonious or symmetrical proportions in physical form or design.
Simple“The architect designed a building with perfectly proportionate windows.”
In context“The sculptor was praised for creating a figure with highly proportionate limbs that captured a sense of natural grace.”
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to adjust something so that it matches something else in size or importance.
v.to adjust or regulate something so that it reaches a proper proportion or relation to another thing.
Simple“The tax system is designed to proportionate the burden based on income.”
In context“The legal framework attempts to proportionate the level of force used by police to the specific threat encountered.”
UsageThis transitive verb use is significantly less common than the adjective form.
“Her legal representatives told the court in Luleå it was “not proportionate for her to be deported solely because she missed a deadline due to insufficient information.”
“On Saturday, Sadc said it had created "uncertainty and anxiety" while the EU mission said any such interruption should be clearly explained, legally grounded and proportionate.”
Borrowed from Latin prōportiōnātus, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-forming suffix). By surface analysis, proportion + -ate.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.