1
as in spreading (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 radiating
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 fanning (out)
Verb
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The team believes that this could mean coronae arise in abundance, radiating from tens to hundreds of leaves on every treetop during a single thunderstorm.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
25 Feb. 2026 -
Our movie tastes are determined by some indefinable electrical current of enthusiasm or joy or deep, radiating sadness, or some combination of the three.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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In his closing remarks at the congress, Kim doubled down on expanding the nation’s nuclear arsenal.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
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The company currently has 282 active customers and are expanding each day.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Khamenei saw off opponents at home while extending Tehran’s power across the Middle East via a network of proxies in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Mar. 2026
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More recent evidence also suggests that estrogen can reduce the risk of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, bone fractures, and cognitive decline, extending women’s lives by about 10 years.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Futures that indicate where the S&P 500 will trade at the opening bell dropped 2%, while Dow futures pointed to as much as a 970-point drop.—
Matt Nighswander,
NBC news,
3 Mar. 2026
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Restricting access to one of the country’s most important sources of affordable capital risks slowing expansion, delaying hiring and preventing new firms from opening their doors altogether.—
Krish O'Mara Vignarajah,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Inside the Cafesjian Art Trust Museum, a new chapter is unfolding, according to curator Jill Ahlberg Yohe.—
Derek James,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
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The Alabama Solution is a six-year investigation into the crisis unfolding at prisons across the southern state, discovering over 1,300 deaths of people in custody inside Alabama correctional facilities between 2019 and 2024.—
Davi Merchan,
NPR,
4 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Fanning (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fanning%20%28out%29. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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