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 That promise hasn’t quite panned out yet, and still Tesla has one of the highest forward price-to-earnings multiples of the Magnificent Seven stocks. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024 But if things pan out, the new medication would effect weight loss twice as quickly as Wegovy, whose patients lose 6% of their weight in 12 weeks. Melvin Backman, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 The science might not pan out, the business might run out of money. Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 21 Feb. 2024 Yet the strategy seemingly panned out: HIM has never contracted COVID, researchers concluded based on antigen tests, PCR tests, and bloodwork. Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2024 For its part, the four-day work week movement has had a few landmark wins in recent months—German IG Metall, which is Europe’s largest industrial union, managed to negotiate standard working hours to 32 a week, roughly panning out to four days. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 15 Feb. 2024 Then, the camera pans out and shows two cribs side-by-side. Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 9 Feb. 2024 The camera pans out to reveal that Taylor has been cruising in a child’s toy Jeep. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 18 Jan. 2024 Attach the following disclaimer to all of the above: fewer than half of the QBs drafted in the first round don’t pan out. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pan out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pan out

verb
: turn out sense 5
especially : succeed
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!