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.
Williams joined the Jets this offseason on a one-year, $10 million deal, but didn't exactly pan out. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 Not all of these ideas will pan out, but if any do, the next few years could bring an inflection point in treating some of the most frustrating and intractable diseases of our modern era. Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024 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 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

Dictionary Entries Near pan out

Cite this Entry

“Pan out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pan%20out. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

pan out

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