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

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.

But President Jed Hoyer’s plan didn’t pan out, as evidenced by another 83-win season without a playoff appearance. —

Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Jan. 2025 This time, things panned out differently, according to a Jan. 16 news release from the Missouri Lottery. —

Rhiannon Saegert, Kansas City Star, 17 Jan. 2025 In my opinion, science and technology investments take considerable time to pan out, so early judgments of Biden’s success or failure are probably premature. —

Mark Zachary Taylor, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2025 But there’s a big issue with this theory: These results haven’t panned out in any studies looking for inflammatory markers or disease outcomes in real people eating a good deal of omega-6s, Dr. Mozaffarian says. —

Erica Sloan, SELF, 13 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for pan out