# contain multitudes

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/contain-multitudes
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To have a complex and apparently paradoxical nature; to be inconsistent, especially in a way that is ultimately admirable or noble.

## Examples

- People are complex and often contain multitudes.
- You might think he is only a quiet accountant, but he contains multitudes, including a secret life as a jazz musician.
- The protagonist is a fascinating character who contains multitudes, shifting between deep cruelty and unexpected acts of kindness throughout the novel.

## Origin

Coined by the American poet Walt Whitman (1819–1892) in his poem “Song of Myself” published in Leaves of Grass (1855): see the quotation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.