Idiom
run the gamut
Meaning
To encompass the full range or variety possible.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“The store's items run the gamut from cheap toys to expensive jewelry.”
“The colors in the sunset run the gamut from soft pink to dark purple.”
“My daily tasks run the gamut from answering emails to fixing broken machines.”
“The students' questions during the lecture ran the gamut from basic definitions to complex theories about the future of technology.”
“The emotions in the film run the gamut from deep sadness to pure joy as the family searches for their lost dog.”
“The weather conditions on the mountain run the gamut from sunny skies to dangerous blizzards within a single afternoon.”
“The opinions at the town meeting ran the gamut from total support for the new park to complete anger over the cost.”
“His extensive collection of vintage records runs the gamut from rare jazz recordings of the twenties to experimental electronic music from the modern era.”
Examples
simple
“The store's items run the gamut from cheap toys to expensive jewelry.”
“The colors in the sunset run the gamut from soft pink to dark purple.”
“My daily tasks run the gamut from answering emails to fixing broken machines.”
contextual
“The students' questions during the lecture ran the gamut from basic definitions to complex theories about the future of technology.”
“The emotions in the film run the gamut from deep sadness to pure joy as the family searches for their lost dog.”
“The weather conditions on the mountain run the gamut from sunny skies to dangerous blizzards within a single afternoon.”
“The opinions at the town meeting ran the gamut from total support for the new park to complete anger over the cost.”
complex
“His extensive collection of vintage records runs the gamut from rare jazz recordings of the twenties to experimental electronic music from the modern era.”
Origin
From *gamut*, denoting a complete range. The term entered English in the mid-19th century as a figurative extension of the musical scale, which comprised the full extent of notes an instrument or voice could produce.
Key words
Related idioms
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