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
-
Administrator Crystal Ruth switches on dozens of heat lamps that radiate a yellow hue to warm at least 80 disabled, abandoned or formerly abused animals that call the rescue home.—
Julian Camejo,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026 -
In the following months, painful shocks radiated through her chest and back.—
Brett Kelman,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Those connections extend beyond the dining room.—
Evan Moore
April 8,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
-
But the Red Sox stayed patient and extended at-bats as Crochet did his job keeping the Brewers off the board for the first six innings.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These open-branching shrubs make an informal hedge that requires little pruning.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Thanks to its dense, flexible branching structure, rapid growth habit, and deep, strong taproots that anchor it firmly, this deciduous tree excels in windy conditions.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Its owners have expanded their impact and influence to the nearby community to limit development and maintain its cultural identity, which includes restoring and caring for the historic stone buildings from the salt trade era.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
-
This will expand affordable rental options and enable home repairs, solar installations and energy upgrades.—
Chase Jordan
April 7,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There’s nothing fancy about a big, square screen that sits upstage of the circular playing area, but the subtlety in which the images and mood flows through the screen greatly enhance the storytelling.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Plantings in surrounding walkways will flow into the existing Asiatic, native plant, and white gardens.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The measure also bans the sale of nitrous oxide for recreational use, and of cannabinoids derived from hemp plants — including Delta-8, Delta-10, THC-O and THC-P — which are currently unregulated and becoming increasingly potent.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2026
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Equally important, but garnering less attention, have been the price increases for products made from energy, like nitrogen-heavy fertilizer, which is synthesized from ammonia, derived from natural gas.—
E.J. Antoni,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The PlayStation 5 Pro is a more powerful spin on the vanilla PS5, thanks to ray tracing and AI upscaling that give games a visual boost.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
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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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It’s been roughly 11 months since the Knicks and Celtics met in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs last season, a series ending in disaster for the Celtics, who were favored to beat the Knicks before blowing consecutive 20-point leads to open the semifinals.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Nearly a dozen new Alpha campuses are opening in the fall amid surging demand.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 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 11 Apr. 2026.
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