What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
proportionately
Example
The price of the product increased proportionately with the demand. [proportionately: adverb]
Example
The amount of time spent on each task was proportionately distributed. [proportionately: adverb]
commensurately
Example
The salary increase was commensurate with the employee's performance. [commensurate: adjective]
Example
The punishment was commensurate with the severity of the crime. [commensurate: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Proportionately is more commonly used than commensurately in everyday language. Proportionately is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while commensurately is less common and has a more formal tone.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between proportionately and commensurately?
Commensurately is more formal than proportionately. While proportionately can be used in both formal and informal contexts, commensurately is typically used in more formal settings such as academic or professional writing.
