Proportion — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /prə-ˈpȯr-shən/ pro·por·tion

Meaning & Definition of Proportion

Proportion (noun)

  1. harmonious relation of parts to each other or to the whole, balance, symmetry
  2. proper or equal share
  3. quota, percentage

Proportion (verb)

  1. to adjust (a part or thing) in size relative to other parts or things
  2. to make the parts of harmonious or symmetrical
  3. apportion, allot

Proportion (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a balanced, pleasing, or suitable arrangement of parts

    "the head was drawn too large, being way out of proportion with the body"

    similar: balance, coherence, concinnity, consonance, consonancy, harmony, orchestration, symmetry, symphony, unity
    related: coordination, correlation, correspondence, equalization, equilibrium, evenness, order, orderliness, regularity, uniformity
    opposite: asymmetry, discordance, disproportion, disunity, imbalance, incoherence, violence
    near: confusion, disorganization, dissonance, disturbance, tension, disconnectedness, disjointedness, incompatibility, irregularity, unevenness

  2. something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group

    "the players argue that they aren't getting the proportion of the league's profits that are due to them"

    similar: allotment, allowance, cut, end, part, piece, portion, quota, share, slice, take, piece of the action
    related: lot, ration, commission, percentage, member, partition, section, segment
    near: aggregate, composite, compound, pool, sum, total, totality, whole

  3. the relationship in quantity, amount, or size between two or more things

    "the proportion of length to width for those screens was usually three to two"

    similar: rate, ratio
    related: average, frequency, correspondence, percentage
    near: disproportion

  4. the total amount of measurable space or surface occupied by something

    "the exact proportions of the room were critical"

    similar: bulk, dimension, extent, magnitude, measure, measurement, size
    related: area, capaciousness, commodiousness, roominess, spaciousness, ampleness, amplitude, bigness, bulkiness, enormousness, grandness, greatness, grossness, heftiness, hugeness, immenseness, immensity, largeness, mass, massiveness, monstrousness, stupendousness, tremendousness, vastness, volume, voluminousness

Proportion (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in allow, divide

    similar: admeasure, allot, allow, appropriate, assign, dish out, divide, divvy (up), dollop (out), lot, measure (out), part, ration, redistribute, set, share (out), split, administer, allocate, apportion, deal (out), dispense, distribute, dole out, hand out, mete (out), parcel (out), portion, prorate, bestow, disburse, furnish, issue, provide, share, supply, circulate, disperse, disseminate, scatter, spread, chip in, contribute, donate, pledge, reallocate, reapportion
    opposite: misallocate, begrudge, decline, deny, deprive (of), disallow, refuse, reject, withhold, niggle (out), pinch, skimp, stint

  2. as in order, balance

    similar: align, arrange, array, balance, equalize, even, order, regularize, standardize, blend, combine, connect, correlate, dovetail, fit, fuse, integrate, join, match, merge, orchestrate, pair, square, suit, synchronize, synthesize, unify, unite, adapt, tune, accommodate, attune, conciliate, conform, coordinate, harmonize, key, reconcile
    opposite: disharmonize, confuse, disarray, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, skew, upset, alienate, estrange

Related Entry: In proportion (phrase)

In proportion is a different word from Proportion. The synonyms below are for in proportion, not for proportion.

  1. corresponding in size, amount, extent, or degree

    "His problems seemed trivial in proportion to the crisis faced by his friend."

    similar: commensurable, commensurate, proportional, proportionate
    related: balanced, symmetrical, correlative, reciprocal, contingent, dependent, relative, akin, comparable, similar
    opposite: disproportionate
    near: asymmetrical, distorted, irregular, lopsided, nonsymmetrical, twisted, unsymmetrical, unbalanced

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Proportion

The most common words with a similar meaning to Proportion:

balance, coherence, concinnity, consonance, consonancy, harmony, orchestration, symmetry, symphony, unity, allotment, allowance, cut, end, part, piece, portion, quota, share, slice, take, rate, ratio, bulk, dimension, extent, magnitude, measure, measurement, size, piece of the action, admeasure, allot, allow, appropriate, assign, dish out, divide, divvy (up), dollop (out)

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Proportion

Words with the opposite meaning of Proportion:

asymmetry, discordance, disproportion, disunity, imbalance, incoherence, violence, misallocate, begrudge, decline, deny, deprive (of), disallow, refuse, reject, withhold, niggle (out), pinch, skimp, stint, disharmonize, confuse, disarray, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, skew, upset, alienate

Related Words for Proportion

coordination, correlation, correspondence, equalization, equilibrium, evenness, orderliness, regularity, uniformity, commission, percentage, member, partition, section, segment, average, frequency, area, capaciousness, commodiousness, roominess, spaciousness, ampleness, amplitude, bigness, bulkiness, enormousness, grandness, greatness, grossness

Near Antonyms of Proportion

confusion, disorganization, dissonance, disturbance, tension, disconnectedness, disjointedness, incompatibility, irregularity, unevenness, aggregate, composite, compound, pool, sum, total, totality, whole

Word Forms of Proportion

Inflections: proportioned, proportioning

Origin & Etymology of Proportion

Middle English proporcioun, proporcion "comparative relation in magnitude, ratio," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French proporcion, proporciun, borrowed from Latin prōportiōn-, prōportiō "analogy, proper spatial relation between parts" (Medieval Latin also "comparative relation in magnitude"), univerbation of prō portiōne "in the degree proper to each, proportionately" portion:1

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Proportion

Words & Phrases Containing Proportion

in proportion, blow out of proportion, get out of proportion, in proportion to, keep things in proportion, out of proportion with

Frequently Asked Questions about Proportion

What does "Proportion" mean?

"Proportion" means harmonious relation of parts to each other or to the whole, balance, symmetry. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: harmonious relation of parts to each other or to the whole, balance, symmetry. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Proportion"?

Other words for "Proportion" include balance, coherence, concinnity, consonance, consonancy, harmony, orchestration and symmetry. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Proportion" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Proportion"?

There are 155 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Proportion". Common alternatives include balance, coherence, concinnity, consonance, consonancy, harmony, orchestration, symmetry, symphony and unity.

What is the opposite of "Proportion"?

Antonyms of "Proportion" include asymmetry, discordance, disproportion, disunity, imbalance, incoherence, violence and misallocate. Near antonyms include confusion, disorganization, dissonance and disturbance.

How do you use "Proportion" in a sentence?

Examples of "Proportion" in a sentence: "the head was drawn too large, being way out of proportion with the body"; "the players argue that they aren't getting the proportion of the league's profits that are due to them"; "the proportion of length to width for those screens was usually three to two".

Is "Proportion" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Proportion" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Proportion" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Proportion" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Proportion"?

"Proportion" is pronounced /prə-ˈpȯr-shən/ and divided into syllables as pro·por·tion.