1
as in to stretch (out)
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area
the accordionist smoothly fanned out the bellows of his instrument as he played
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to radiate
to extend outwards from or as if from a central point
most of the city's subway lines fan out from this central station
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fan (out)
Verb
-
Hearts radiated from her headpiece to her hem, with a single heart placed near her pelvis.—
Anika Burgess,
New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2026 -
Meanwhile, Kidman radiated in a double-breasted suit dress with a completely sheer shredded ballgown skirt.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Following the river cruise, many of these guests will choose to extend their trips onward into Peru.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The tornado watch extends through central Oklahoma as well.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
An animal can look the same for hundreds of millions of years and still be branching into distinct species at the genetic level.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Mar. 2026
-
There’s nothing like it out there (for now, Exodus is coming for that crown), and its branching narrative and engaging roster of companions are among the genre’s best.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Situationist is also expanding its team, with a new office above the new store.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Republican lawmakers are opposed to expanding health care to undocumented immigrants, and particularly ready to attack Democrat efforts to raise new revenues to do so.—
Andrew Graham
March 9,
Sacbee.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In experiments, heaters made from these fibers delivered significantly higher heating power per unit mass than traditional metal-alloy elements when exposed to flowing gases.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
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Sweeney admitted that watching teams around him in the standings making moves – the Islanders landed Schenn, the Blue Jackets got Garland and Detroit acquired Faulk – got the competitive juices flowing.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Valerian supplements are derived from the roots of Valeriana officinalis, a flowering plant native to Europe and Asia that has also naturalized in northeastern America, according to the American Botanical Council (ABC).—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
8 Mar. 2026
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They are derived from pop culture and sports.—
Sari Hitchins,
Parents,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That’s why countries around the world agreed in December 2025 to add more than 70 shark and ray species to an international wildlife trade treaty’s list for full or partial protection.—
Gareth J. Fraser,
The Conversation,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Next month the agency will open a community engagement center, where residents can drop by during office hours to ask questions and get information.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2026
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But Adebayo and Ware again opened Thursday’s game in separate units.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Fan (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fan%20%28out%29. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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