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

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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

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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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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

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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
Beef measured outside of the proper temperature range for reheating. Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025 In addition to SafeTalk, Steib shared a range of other suicide prevention trainings used by statewide partners of Mental Health America of Wisconsin in schools, clinics and across industries. Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
And there are also prizes for up to six figures offered in the two games, ranging from $1,000 to as much as $500,000. Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025 For foot passengers who don’t mind simple accommodation, fares for a basic cabin typically range from $35—$75 per person. David Nikel, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for range
Recent Examples of Synonyms for range
Noun
  • Caseificio di Nucci, Agnone – For caciocavallo and provolone made just steps from the pastures.
    Daniel Scheffler, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Frost is, by reputation, perhaps the foremost poet of rural, non-coastal New England — of birches and apple trees, of forests blanketed in snow, of pastures sliced by ragged stone walls, and of the flinty, self-sufficient kind of temperament that flourishes in those places.
    A.O. Scott, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Instead, toxic positivity is an intentional effort to look at difficult situations in an unrealistic way that refuses to consider the full scope of the experience — leading to a person dismissing their feelings and the magnitude of the situation altogether.
    Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Stargate got much of the attention when the UAE-US AI Campus was announced, but is slated to represent just 20% of the project’s total scope.
    Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Some brands use the small-medium-large spectrum, in which case it’s recommended to measure the length and width of your kids’ feet to find the right size.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
  • But the most pronounced differences, no surprise, are along the political spectrum.
    Robert G. Eccles, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile in New York, Lindsay Lohan and her husband, Bader Shammas, attend the US Open while Lola Tung takes a leisurely afternoon stroll.
    Brendan Le, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • To stay within a fork’s reach, The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza is a 15-minute stroll from RyuGin, which earned three stars for its molecular kaiseki (a traditional multicourse meal) gastronomy.
    AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Browns swarming Joe Burrow for sacks on three consecutive plays in the fourth quarter, driving the Bengals back from the 20 to their own goal line, was an incredible show of force created by a front four that will only improve with more time together.
    Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Its core software dates back to the early 1980s, and only a few programmers remain who understand the intricacies of its more than 60 million lines of code.
    Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The kitchen features a La Cornue stove, which is a luxury stove from France.
    Jason Dill September 5, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Skip the stove and hard boil eggs with your air fryer.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • These plants are adapted to the specific soils, climate and other local conditions of their region and support the local food web, providing habitat for native wildlife, pollinators and insects.
    Chris McKeown, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Sep. 2025
  • After walking on her own into the indoor habitat, the zoo's veterinary team performed an exam to assess Ruth's well-being, according to the post.
    Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The star, classified as IRAS 04302+2247, or IRAS 04302, is a protostar, with its disk measuring at around 40 billion miles (65 billion km) wide.
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 4 Sep. 2025
  • It was classified as a heritage site in 1995 and then as a national monument in 1997.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 4 Sep. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Range.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/range. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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