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
-
The beauty is radiating from the inside out!—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
5 Nov. 2025 -
Do this in the early evening while there's still daylight and the ground is radiating heat.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Episode Four, in particular, shows off the impact of the branching narrative framework, with full sequences playing out very differently in ways that actually inform the gameplay of the shifts.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Unlike the branching corals, which were victims of water that at one point reached hot tub temperatures, pillar coral’s killer was mostly a pernicious and little understood coral disease, story coral tissue loss disease, although extreme heat did claim some.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The concept is expanding into practice in the state as a solution to regional food distribution challenges.—
Cristina LaRue,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Future work will focus on integrating snow-deposition modeling with PV yield simulations to more accurately predict energy losses and on expanding analyses to more complex, uneven alpine terrain.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Consider Tupperware’s FridgeSmart Container Set your secret weapon to extending the life of your produce, organizing your food, and adding money back to your pocket.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Schumer, who voted against the package, had pressed for a guarantee on extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, a Democratic demand that was ultimately not met in the deal.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
This is one of Nevada's most coveted travel experiences, and tickets sell out fast each year, with sales opening every August.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The brand first enters new markets launching sales online, investing one to two years in e-commerce and marketing before opening physical stores.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
But for most Palestinians, de-facto annexation is already unfolding daily.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Drama is unfolding behind the scenes of Miss Universe 2025 in Thailand.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Fanning (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fanning%20%28out%29. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share