run the gamut

Cultural  

1. To cover a whole range: “The students' reactions to the novel ran the gamut from delight to loathing.”

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run the gamut Idioms  

1. Extend over an entire range, as in His music runs the gamut from rock to classical. This expression alludes to the medieval musical scale of Guido d'Arezzo, gamut being a contraction of gamma and ut, the lowest and highest notes respectively. [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

They run the gamut from high-level careers in AI strategy to hourly work, in industries including finance, healthcare and manufacturing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

The rugged individualists’ arguments run the gamut from a sincere nostalgia — many chairs designed and installed in the 20th century didn’t even have safety bars, they note — to the intentionally absurd.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

Discount categories run the gamut and typically include mattresses and home appliances.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 13, 2026

These couples' reasons run the gamut from high child-rearing costs to career concerns.

From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026

By the time he reached the end of the fifth letter, he had run the gamut of expedients and concluded to try the effect of a little wholesome parental authority.

From A Romance in Transit by Lynde, Francis