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
Gary Neville
especially
: succeed
… the signs revealed that the experiment wasn't panning out … —Ronald Reagan
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
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
Though at least one family came forward to claim her after seeing her picture in local newspapers, this lead failed to pan out.
—Jordan Friedman, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2025
If Mattel plans to make a movie about the card game Uno, who says AirPods can’t be the next big screen star?
Advantages: Apple doesn’t have to invest big bucks into distribution, in case the company’s future theatrical ambitions fail to pan out.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 30 June 2025
Unfortunately, the moves did not pan out, and Dallas was quick to get assets back in return.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2025
No one really knows which young players will find themselves early, which ones will take a while longer to develop, and which ones will just never pan out.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pan out
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Jordan Friedman, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2025
If Mattel plans to make a movie about the card game Uno, who says AirPods can’t be the next big screen star?
Advantages: Apple doesn’t have to invest big bucks into distribution, in case the company’s future theatrical ambitions fail to pan out.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 30 June 2025
Unfortunately, the moves did not pan out, and Dallas was quick to get assets back in return.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2025
No one really knows which young players will find themselves early, which ones will take a while longer to develop, and which ones will just never pan out.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pan out
Cite this Entry
“Pan out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pan%20out. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
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