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

Yet despite those signings not panning out, the owners are hell-bent on a salary cap, while the players are vehemently opposed. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Roobroeck and Terrance are both coming off down years on a bad AHL Hartford team, with scouts who watched the Wolf Pack giving the 6-foot-7 Roobroeck a better chance of panning out in a bottom-six role. — Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

The Yankees parted with Rowland at the end of last season after years of awarding millions in bonuses to international free agents who didn’t pan out, particularly ones from Latin American. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026

The deputy had previously tried to pursue genetic genealogy through one grant process, but the results didn’t pan out. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026

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