fan out

phrasal verb

fanned out; fanning out; fans out

: to spread apart or to cause (something) to spread apart

The police fanned out across the park in search of the suspect.

He fanned out his fingers.

Examples of fan out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

While conducting a survey, club members fan out across a spot in nature, individually or in groups, for a few hours and gather up various species of fungi. —

Peter Breen, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2024 We’re fanned out across a giant conference center giving talks about what California is doing. —

Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024 Instability at Boeing could fan out to its suppliers. —

Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2024 To elevate the look from boudoir to the stage, Rae added a dramatic tulle bustle that fanned out behind her like a swan, while feathers cascaded from both her bra and the bustle, giving the ensemble a theatrical touch. —

Ty Gaskins, WWD, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fan out