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

especially : succeed

… the signs revealed that the experiment wasn't panning out … —

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

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

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.

Sadly, this season didn't pan out the way Cardinals fans had hoped when the front office successfully retooled the pitching staff last winter. —

Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 What’s more, early studies also suggested that statins, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and insulin had a positive effect on Alzheimer’s, but none of those treatments panned out. —

Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 24 Oct. 2024 While not every pilot will pan out, one of them may turn out to be the rocket ship that takes us to new levels of success. —

Alexandre Douzet, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024 Had the Vision Pro’s, well, vision panned out, Meta may have been more inclined to pursue the pricy premium category of VR headset. —

Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pan out