range 1 of 2

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as in pasture
open land over which livestock may roam and feed knew exactly how many head of cattle were turned out on the range that morning to graze

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
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as in spectrum
the distance or extent between possible extremes an actor who can go through the full range of emotion, from joy to sorrow, in mere minutes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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5
as in line
a series of persons or things arranged one behind another from the air, the mountain range stretched as far as we could see in both directions

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6
as in stove
an appliance that prepares food for consumption by heating it the high-end appliances include a professional-quality gas range

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7
as in habitat
the place where a plant or animal is usually or naturally found the American robin's winter range has steadily extended farther and farther north

Synonyms & Similar Words

range

2 of 2

verb

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as in to vary
to occur within a continuous range of variation the color of Florida grapefruit can range anywhere from pale pink to ruby red

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun range differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of range are compass, gamut, orbit, scope, and sweep. While all these words mean "the extent that lies within the powers of something (as to cover or control)," range is a general term indicating the extent of one's perception or the extent of powers, capacities, or possibilities.

the entire range of human experience

When might compass be a better fit than range?

Although the words compass and range have much in common, compass implies a sometimes limited extent of perception, knowledge, or activity.

your concerns lie beyond the narrow compass of this study

When could gamut be used to replace range?

While the synonyms gamut and range are close in meaning, gamut suggests a graduated series running from one possible extreme to another.

a performance that ran the gamut of emotions

Where would orbit be a reasonable alternative to range?

The meanings of orbit and range largely overlap; however, orbit suggests an often circumscribed range of activity or influence within which forces work toward accommodation.

within that restricted orbit they tried to effect social change

When is scope a more appropriate choice than range?

While in some cases nearly identical to range, scope is applicable to an area of activity, predetermined and limited, but somewhat flexible.

as time went on, the scope of the investigation widened

When is it sensible to use sweep instead of range?

The synonyms sweep and range are sometimes interchangeable, but sweep suggests extent, often circular or arc-shaped, of motion or activity.

the book covers the entire sweep of criminal activity

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of range
Noun
The series, created by Deadpool filmmaker Tim Miller and executive produced by David Fincher, explores a range of genres, including comedy, horror, and sci-fi all linked to the topics of love, death, and well, robots. Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 2 May 2025 Understanding how vitamin D and cholesterol interact can help ensure your levels stay within a healthy range. Emmanuella Ogbonna, Health, 2 May 2025
Verb
In many ways, Rubio and Witkoff are following in the footsteps of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who had multiple roles in the first administration, ranging from the Middle East to Latin America and immigration. Matthew Lee, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2025 After a bit of trial and error, the team induced the cicadas to produce specific musical notes over more than three octaves, ranging from 27.5 hertz to 261.6 hertz. Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for range
Recent Examples of Synonyms for range
Noun
  • Unobstructed views take in the property’s natural setting among trees, vines, pastures and hills.
    David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • These were much larger and more architecturally complex, and they were positioned in elevated, visible locations that were set away from settlements and pastures.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This identifies patterns in scope, team composition, timelines and customer feedback to reveal success or failure predictors.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Last year, for example, the mission team shifted the scope into one-gyro mode after yet another of the devices failed.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • At the other end of the spectrum, 16% of respondents spent more than $100,000 on renovation projects.
    Terri Williams, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
  • The idea here is a 3-and-D forward who can potentially be switchable and guard across the positional spectrum while also drilling 3s.
    Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • The goal of this relationship is to save you time, trouble, and money down the line.
    Brady Slack, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023
  • In the meantime, the operator said it’s making progress on its remediation plan, including analysis of other areas and additional in-line inspections.
    Joe Sutton, CNN, 10 Feb. 2023
Noun
  • News of new pope delivered by stoves, chemicals and ballots As Pope Francis' funeral nears, fascination with papacy's rituals take center stage How accurate is the movie 'Conclave' about the election of a new pope?
    Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA Today, 3 May 2025
  • Brinkley in her book describes one ugly scene when Joel, deep in his cups, ate a heap of spaghetti directly from a large pan on the stove, then vehemently kicked everyone out of the house for eating his pasta.
    Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Sea lions suffering from domoic acid poisoning have been observed exiting their habitat and moving toward urban areas, such as freeways, due to the toxins' effect on the brain, Smith said.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2025
  • If all goes according to plan, future low-Earth orbit space stations could feature their inflatable LIFE habitats shielded from any pesky cosmic debris.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • How Businesses Can Remain Compliant Governance platforms and compliance partners focus on helping any business, from enterprises to startups, to monitor, identify, classify and ensure that AI is built in accordance to the new EU AI Act.
    Jessica Mendoza, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Of the 23 players in the squad that have made 11 or more league appearances this season, nine (almost 40 per cent) can be classified as long-distance internationals.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Their cattle then roam the yerba mate plantation, clear the weeds–which both feeds the cattle and eliminates the need for pesticides–and its manure helps enrich the soil.
    Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
  • Residents complain of thieves roaming the streets after dusk.
    Sophie Neiman, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Range.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/range. Accessed 8 May. 2025.

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