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 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

Synonyms

• come out
• fall out
• prove
• shake out
• turn out

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

However, that doesn't always pan out, as was evidenced in the first season by neither Aemond nor Daemon's younger daughter, Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell), having a dragon prior to Aemond claiming Vhagar. —Megan McCluskey, TIME, 13 June 2024

Travis Kelce had a backup plan just in case his football dreams didn't pan out. —Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 12 June 2024

Eventually, and this isn’t a spoiler, the hockey stick trajectory pans out. —Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 12 June 2024

One place that did pan out was the Chinatown section of Bangkok. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 12 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

pan entry 2

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

pan out

verb

: turn out sense 5

especially : succeed