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.
However, the rest of the Nuggets' youth movement hasn't panned out as hoped. Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025 None of those deals panned out, despite the brands being more aligned with Prada's minimalist design aesthetic than is Versace. Lucinda Shen, Axios, 9 Apr. 2025 The Victor Mancini-Quinn Hughes experiment hasn’t panned out With Tyler Myers injured, Elias Pettersson and Victor Mancini both drew into the lineup for this weekend’s games rather than rotating in and out for each other. Harman Dayal, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025 Johnson never quite panned out, with a career averages of 0.8 points and 0.8 rebounds per game. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 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 16 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

pan out

verb
: turn out sense 5
especially : succeed
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!