pan out

verb

panned out; panning out; pans out

intransitive verb

: 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
especially : succeed
… the signs revealed that the experiment wasn't panning outRonald 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

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
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.
That has not quite panned out, as both are now on the injured list just 30 games into the season. Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025 The camera pans out to show her carrying one of the couple's sons, while in the background, Navratilova can be seen walking behind their other son. Hannah Sacks, People.com, 30 Apr. 2025 As the boat of partiers zooms away into the choppy waters of the Boca Raton inlet, the video pans out to the spread of debris left floating in their wake. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2025 But while a handful of studies point to an association between the Med diet overall and greater success rates with ART, whether all of the above pathways actually pan out to boost egg quality—and enhance fertility—across the board isn’t clear. Erica Sloan, SELF, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pan out

Word History

Etymology

pan entry 2

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pan out was in 1865

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pan out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pan%20out. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

pan out

verb
: turn out sense 5
especially : succeed
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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