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

The foods are extreme and run the gamut, from silkworm pupa to a whole goat head.

From Salon • Jun. 15, 2026

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

Clorox brands include eponymous cleaners and run the gamut of consumer products, including Fresh Step cat litter, Kingsford charcoal and Hidden Valley Ranch dressings.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 22, 2026

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

From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026

His temper, having run the gamut of boredom, interest, perturbation, mystification, and plain amusement, was now altogether inconsequential: a dangerous mood for Maitland.

From The Brass Bowl by Vance, Louis Joseph