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
Various industries have come into the region over the years and made grand promises that never panned out.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Alphabet, too, was left for dead by the Street on fears that management wasn't executing and the company's AI strategy wasn't panning out to the point the were being overtaken by others.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2026
That finally panned out with Red Rooster.
—Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
In this particular case, the group in question has previously produced three results each claiming the discovery of a fifth force and hints of a novel particle, but none of them panned out.
—Big Think, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pan out
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Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Alphabet, too, was left for dead by the Street on fears that management wasn't executing and the company's AI strategy wasn't panning out to the point the were being overtaken by others.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2026
That finally panned out with Red Rooster.
—Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
In this particular case, the group in question has previously produced three results each claiming the discovery of a fifth force and hints of a novel particle, but none of them panned out.
—Big Think, 19 Mar. 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 3 Apr. 2026.
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