The range of something is the extent or scope it covers, like the territory it spans or the variety it includes. Think of a mountain range: those peaks stretch across miles of landscape, each one part of the same connected system. That physical idea of “stretching across” helps explain how we use this word.

When a store stocks a wide range of books, they carry mysteries, science fiction, biographies, graphic novels, and more. When a singer has an impressive vocal range, they can hit both low, rumbling notes and high, soaring ones. A teacher might say your essay covers a broad range of topics if you discuss many different aspects of a subject.

Range also means the distance something can travel or reach. A car's range is how far it can drive before running out of gas. An archer's arrow has a range, a certain distance it can fly accurately. Wild animals have a range too: the territory where they naturally live and hunt.

You might also encounter range as a place for practicing something: a shooting range for target practice, or a driving range where golfers hit balls. There's even a kitchen appliance called a range, which is basically a stove with an oven built in.

When something ranges from one point to another (as a verb), it spans that entire spectrum: “The temperatures this week will range from 45 to 70 degrees.”