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 of pan out

• prove

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

One thing for certain is the job just got even tougher for David Stearns as Mets fans become more frustrated with the way the offseason is panning out. —Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025

Some investments don’t pan out. —Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 7 Dec. 2025

Some leads that had developed didn’t pan out. —Cnn.com, Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2025

Endy echoed what other scientists told us, that Lambert's project could be a major scientific breakthrough, if further testing pans out. —Henry Schuster, CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

pan entry 2

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pan out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

pan out

verb

: turn out sense 5

especially : succeed