pan out
verb
panned out; panning out; pans out
: to happen, end, or develop in a particular way : turn out
I'm really enjoying how this is all panning out now and it is so exciting and intriguing to watch and find out what happens next …—
Gary Neville
Gary Neville
especially
: succeed
… the signs revealed that the experiment wasn't panning out … —Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan She [Dixie Hollins] noted that learning about arts and entertainment fills her creative side and works as a great plan B if her goal of working in the medical field doesn't pan out. —Karin Davis-Thompson
Karin Davis-Thompson Examples of pan out in a Sentence
the eagerly anticipated kayaking trip never panned out
the investment scheme didn't quite pan out
Recent Examples on the Web
Musk made a lot of other promises that haven’t really panned out: The Cybertruck was supposed to debut at less than $40,000.
—Saahil Desai, The Atlantic, 29 Mar. 2025
On that ensuing penalty kill after the goal was questionably confirmed, the Canadiens had a scoring opportunity that didn’t pan out, and Joel Armia found himself with the puck below the goal line and blindly threw it into the slot expecting Jake Evans to be there.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Many were excited about this potential after his success in college but things never panned out.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
But at 19-35-8 — the league’s second-worst record — entering Friday night’s game against the Utah Hockey Club at the United Center, that plan clearly didn’t pan out.
—Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025
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Saahil Desai, The Atlantic, 29 Mar. 2025
On that ensuing penalty kill after the goal was questionably confirmed, the Canadiens had a scoring opportunity that didn’t pan out, and Joel Armia found himself with the puck below the goal line and blindly threw it into the slot expecting Jake Evans to be there.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Many were excited about this potential after his success in college but things never panned out.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
But at 19-35-8 — the league’s second-worst record — entering Friday night’s game against the Utah Hockey Club at the United Center, that plan clearly didn’t pan out.
—Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pan out
Cite this Entry
“Pan out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pan%20out. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
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