range

RAYNJ/ɹeɪnd͡ʒ/

Pluralranges

Verbranges, ranging, ranged

31 meanings of range

Practice

1
selectionnouncountable
A group of different things to choose from.
Like a menu with many dishes to pick from.
The store sells a wide range of toys.
We offer a range of colors for the new car.
UsageSay a range of things, often a wide range of: a wide range of toys.
Similarvariety, selection, array, assortment, spectrum
Note
2
vary betweenverbintransitive
To be anywhere between two limits, such as a lowest and highest amount or two different kinds.
Like a dial that can point to any number between the smallest and biggest setting.
Test scores can range from zero to one hundred.
Prices ranged between five and ten dollars.
UsageUse from ... to or between: scores range from 0 to 100.
Similarvary, extend, run
3
extentnoununcountable
How far something reaches or how much it covers.
Like how far your arm can stretch to reach things.
That topic is beyond the range of this short book.
Fixing cars is beyond the range of what I can do.
UsageOften said as beyond the range of something: beyond the range of this book.
Similarscope, extent, reach, breadth, span
Note
4
mountain chainnouncountable
A line or row of mountains or buildings.
Like a row of teeth standing side by side.
We could see the mountain range from our window.
A long range of hills stretched across the valley.
Similarchain, ridge
5
reach (devices)nouncountable or uncountable
How far a weapon, machine, or vehicle can reach, work, or travel.
Like how far you can throw a ball before it drops.
This radio has a range of about ten miles.
The missile's range covers the whole region.
UsageSay in range or out of range: we were out of range.
Similarradius
6
measured distancenouncountable or uncountable
How far away something is from a person or a sensor.
Like measuring how many steps you are from the door.
The bird let me take its picture from very close range.
At that range, the lighthouse looked tiny.
UsageSay at close range or at a range of ten miles.
Similardistance
Note
7
kitchen stovenouncountable
A large kitchen stove with several burners for cooking.
Like the stove in your kitchen, but bigger and with more burners.
She put a large pot on the range to boil.
Our kitchen has a gas range with six burners.
Similarstove, cooker
Note
8
test groundnouncountable
A place where people practice shooting, or where the army trains and tests weapons.
Like a court where you practice a sport, but for shooting.
They spent the afternoon at the shooting range.
The new range has ten lanes for practice.
9
where species livenouncountable
The natural area where a kind of animal or plant normally lives.
Like the neighborhood where an animal lives: outside it, you won't find them.
The tiger's range has shrunk over the years.
This bird has a range that covers most of the continent.
Similardistribution
Note
10
span of notesnouncountable
All the notes, from lowest to highest, that a voice or instrument can make.
Like a ladder of notes: some singers can climb higher than others.
She has an amazing vocal range and can sing very high notes.
This flute has a range of three octaves.
Similarcompass
Note
11
data spreadnouncountable
The difference between the biggest and smallest numbers in a set of data.
Like the gap between the tallest and shortest kid in a class.
To find the range, subtract the smallest score from the largest.
The test scores had a range of forty points.
Similarspread
Note

Less common meanings

12
grazing landnouncountable
Open land where animals like cattle feed freely.
Like a huge field with no fences where animals can roam.
The cattle wandered across the open range.
Sheep grazed on the range all summer.
UsageSay on the range: cows on the open range.
Similarrangeland, pasture, grassland, prairie
Note
13
roamverbintransitive
To move around freely over a large area.
Like a dog running around a big open field with no fence.
The cattle range across the open grassland all summer.
Wild horses ranged over the valley for miles.
UsageAdd where or how: goats range over the hills, range freely.
Similarroam, wander, rove, travel
14
output valuesnouncountable
All the values a math function can give as answers.
Like a list of every answer a machine can give when you feed it numbers.
The range of this function is all numbers above zero.
We found the range by listing every possible output.
Oppositedomain
Note
15
variety of rolesnoununcountable
The different kinds of parts an actor can play well.
Like a cook who can make many different meals, not just one.
The young actor showed great range in the film.
Playing both comedy and tragedy proves her range.
Similarversatility
Note
16
loop valuesnouncountable
A list of numbers in order that a program counts through, one after another.
Like counting out loud from one number up to another.
The loop prints every number in the range from one to ten.
The loop counts through a range from 1 to 10.
Note
17
spread (species)verbintransitive
Of an animal or plant, to live naturally in a certain area.
Like how penguins are only found in cold places near the South Pole.
Polar bears range across the frozen Arctic.
These birds ranged throughout the wetlands before the drought.
UsageSay where: birds range across a region, or from one place to another.
Similarroam, occur
Note
18
fielding areanoununcountable
The area a player can reach to stop or catch the ball on defense.
Like how far you can stretch to grab something without moving your feet.
The shortstop has great range and can reach balls far to his left.
Her range in center field lets her catch deep fly balls.
UsageSay a player has good range.
Note
19
measure distanceverbtransitive
To find out how far away a target is, usually before shooting.
Like guessing how far away something is before throwing a ball at it.
The gunner ranged the distant tower before firing.
Soldiers range the target carefully to set their sights.
Note
20
cover groundverbintransitive
Of a player, to run a long way to make a defensive play.
Like running across the playground to catch a ball someone threw far away.
The shortstop ranged far to his right to grab the grounder.
Good fielders range quickly to reach hard-hit balls.
UsageAdd a direction: he ranged to his right.
Note
21
arrangeverbtransitive
To put people or things in a line or in order.
Like lining up your toys in a straight row on the floor.
The soldiers ranged their tents along the river.
The kids like to range their toy soldiers in rows across the floor.
UsageOften with a place word: tents ranged along the river.
Similararrange, array, align
Note
22
stretch alongverbintransitive
To stand, stretch, or be lined up in a row.
Like kids lining up side by side for a class photo.
The hills range along the coast in a long line.
Tall pine trees ranged along the edge of the lake.
UsageSay where: hills range along the coast.
Similarstretch, extend, run
Note
23
verbarchaic
To sort things into groups, or to be counted as one of a group.
And range with humble livers in content.
1613, William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher]
24
nounobsolete
A group of people or things of the same rank or kind.
The next Range of Beings above him are the pure and immaterial Intelligences , the next below him is the sensible Nature.
a. 1677 (date written), Matthew Hale, The Primitive Origination of Mankind
25
nounarchaic
A trip spent wandering about from place to place.
26
nounobsolete
One of the bars you climb on a ladder.
the first range of that ladder
Can we date this quote?, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England
27
nounobsoleteUK
A fine sieve used to separate flour from the coarser bits of grain.
28
nounUS
In US land surveys, a north-to-south row of square land areas about six miles wide.
29
verbobsolete
To control something or make it obey.
The soule is variable in all manner of formes, and rangeth to her selfe, and to her estate, whatsoever it be, the senses of the body, and all other accidents.
1603, Michel de Montaigne, The Essayes
30
verb
To put people or things in position against or beside others.
31
verb
To sail or move along something, following its line or staying near it, such as a coast.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of range apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old French rengier, meaning to order or rank. It comes from a word for a row or rank, and is related to the word ring.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

Range comes from Old French rengier, through Middle English. fr.wiktionary.org
Old French rengier meant to order or rank. en.wiktionary.org
Rengier derives from reng, also spelled rang, meaning a row or rank. en.wiktionary.org
Range is etymologically related to ring. en.wiktionary.org