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

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.

Volunteers fanned out across the metro to pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with many showing up at Harvesters to pack food, while members of the Church of the Resurrection volunteered at 20 local organizations to lend a hand to those in need or support organizations that assist others. —

Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2025 Twelve engines have fanned out from her home, the site of the first response to the fire, and crews are fighting the blaze along her street. —

Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025 But nonetheless, the alt-pop maven is freaking fans out with her new project, Perverts. —

Justin Curto, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025 Demi Moore took home the Golden Globe for her performance in The Substance wearing a structural metallic Armani Privé gown with a rhinestone panel that fanned out below the knee. —

Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 6 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for fan out