# run the gamut

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/run-the-gamut
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To encompass the full range or variety possible.

## 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.

## 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.

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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.