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run the gamut

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


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]


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The specific actions that led to these disciplinary decisions run the gamut.

From BBC Sep. 13, 2026

The international performers who have become part of the “Stamptown” universe run the gamut from jugglers to steel drum players to acrobats to pianists.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 25, 2026

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

He almost had run the gamut, and she really appeared as if she intended to flee rather than to come to him.

From The Song of the Cardinal by Gene Stratton-Porter

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