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
Do the Nuggets want to draft yet another small-ball center option when Holmes and Nnaji haven’t panned out as steady backups?
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 9 June 2026
If neither of those oversized options pan out, the Bulls would have to look slightly below 7 feet for a potential center, such as Washington’s 6-10 Hannes Steinbach and Houston’s 6-10 Chris Cenac Jr.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
Despite the significant investment, Cousins’ tenure in Atlanta failed to pan out, with the team releasing him on March 11.
—Fisher Isbell, AJC.com, 3 June 2026
If the industry pans out, the company says there’s the potential for collecting millions of tons a year.
—Harry Stevens, New York Times, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pan out
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Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 9 June 2026
If neither of those oversized options pan out, the Bulls would have to look slightly below 7 feet for a potential center, such as Washington’s 6-10 Hannes Steinbach and Houston’s 6-10 Chris Cenac Jr.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
Despite the significant investment, Cousins’ tenure in Atlanta failed to pan out, with the team releasing him on March 11.
—Fisher Isbell, AJC.com, 3 June 2026
If the industry pans out, the company says there’s the potential for collecting millions of tons a year.
—Harry Stevens, New York Times, 3 June 2026
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 17 Jun. 2026.
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