Meaning & use
full gamut
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Meaning
nounsingular
The entire range of things of a particular kind, from one extreme to the other.
Grammar: Always followed by of: the full gamut of options. Often used with run.
Patterns
- the full gamut of something
- run the full gamut
The film's characters run the full gamut of human emotion.
The menu covers the full gamut of regional dishes.
The course explores the full gamut of modern art.
Common combinations
- run the full gamut
- Her moods ran the full gamut in a single afternoon.
- the full gamut of emotions
- The match took fans through the full gamut of emotions.
- the full gamut of options
- The software offers the full gamut of options.
- experience the full gamut
- Travelers experience the full gamut of weather in the mountains.
- cover the full gamut
- The survey covers the full gamut of student concerns.
Synonyms and how they differ
- full range
- Full range is plainer and works in more contexts, while full gamut sounds slightly more literary.
- whole spectrum
- Spectrum suggests a continuous scale, such as opinions from one side to another.
- entire scope
- Scope emphasizes how much a thing covers, not the extremes within it.
Opposites
Word family
- gamut noun
- a complete range
- run the gamut phrase
- to include everything in a range
Commonly confused: full gamut or gauntlet?
full gamut vs gauntlet
A gauntlet is a protective glove or a hard test, as in run the gauntlet; it is often mixed up with gamut in 'run the gamut'.
Practice
The festival offers the full ____ of world music, from folk to electronic.
Choose one answer.
Gamut means a complete range. Gauntlet looks similar but means a glove or a series of difficult tests.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “full gamut”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.