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
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In the Project Hail Mary universe, all life in our solar system’s sector of the Milky Way comes from an ancient ancestor of Astrophage that long ago radiated out from Tau Ceti, Weir says.—
Emma Gometz,
Scientific American,
20 Mar. 2026 -
Those words — simple, dignified, and private — feel fitting for a man whose on-screen persona radiated quiet strength and unwavering principle.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Edwards extended his hit streak to five games during Tuesday evening’s 9-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox, going 2 for 4 with a pair of singles.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Eighth-grader Ella Parece dealt a complete-game shutout, pairing with a two-RBI performance from Bella Bourque to help Taunton (2-0) extend its win streak to 58 games with a 5-0 Hockomock League victory over Attleboro.—
Tyler McManus,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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From those reservoirs branched two arteries, one leading to Kīlauea, the other reaching toward Mauna Loa.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
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The current inscribes some victims’ skin with mysterious scarlike patterns called Lichtenberg figures, which resemble the limbs of a barren tree—or the branching structure of lightning itself.—
Jacob Stern,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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With the 2026 midterms approaching, sustained voter unease could reshape the broader electoral map and complicate Republican efforts to hold or expand their congressional margins.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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But the department is looking to expand its authority.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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October 23 – November 21 What routines would make your day flow better?—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
28 Mar. 2026
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These windows will be covered with translucent film of different Idaho mountain ranges, giving those inside privacy while allowing natural light to flow through into the lounge, which can hold up to 500 people.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tucked deeper into nature than its older sibling in Windham, Eastwind Oliverea Valley derives its special sauce from its harmony with its surroundings, complementing rather than taking away from the landscape.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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And sources of public funding can be brutally regressive, derived from taxes on items like lottery tickets, which are bought disproportionately by the poor.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 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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In 1958, Golestan, having just opened his own studio, hired Farrokhzad, who was already well known for boldly candid love poetry, as an assistant.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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So please open your eyes and look at what’s happened in Iran.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 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 2 Apr. 2026.
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