run the gamut
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Display the complete range of something.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
His work over the years has run the gamut from figurative - expressionist to purely abstract, always informed by an explosive sense of colour and whirlwind handling.
It is unfortunately very easy sometimes to let the eyes wander — and the mind as well— if an elderly person is running the gamut of a whole list of troubles, some of which may seem more like minor irritations.
British National Corpus sentence via the MAGPIE corpus (CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Figurative class: Metaphor (PIE-English corpus, CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31).
Common questions
What does “run the gamut” mean?
Display the complete range of something.
Is “run the gamut” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.