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as in to succeed
to turn out as planned or desired
the investment scheme didn't quite pan out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pan out
That hadn’t panned out by Saturday.
—
Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2026
Colicchio, a Tar Heels fan, had been to Charlotte before on a possible restaurant deal that didn’t pan out.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
Authorities sought information about the second van, but leads didn’t pan out.
—Monroe Trombly, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Feb. 2026
Read on to hear more about how my days actually panned out while on the ground in Milan.
—Katie Gunderman, SELF, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pan out
Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2026
Colicchio, a Tar Heels fan, had been to Charlotte before on a possible restaurant deal that didn’t pan out.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
Authorities sought information about the second van, but leads didn’t pan out.
—Monroe Trombly, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Feb. 2026
Read on to hear more about how my days actually panned out while on the ground in Milan.
—Katie Gunderman, SELF, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pan out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pan out
Verb
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Heat backup center Kel’el Ware proved to be an effective fill-in for Adebayo on Thursday, stuffing the box score with 16 points, 11 rebounds, five steals and seven blocks in 32 minutes in the win.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
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The observation team, led by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, captured two additional measurements that proved key to improving the orbit estimate.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Terrorists need both capabilities and intent to succeed.—
Colin P. Clarke,
The Atlantic,
7 Mar. 2026
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Will either of these efforts succeed?—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But of course, a Democratic lawmaker could still go rogue and force a Gonzales expulsion vote on their own.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
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Collin Sexton came of the bench to score 28 points for the Bulls (26-38), who have lost 16 of 19 after going 23-22 to start the season.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Councilman Myles Tolliver, D-at large, previously asked who would be responsible for any additional costs if construction goes over budget.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
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His free kick went over the wall and past Crepeau to seal the deal at 4-2.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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To sign up to get this newsletter delivered every Monday to your inbox, click here.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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For more information on Nurture PA, click here or scan the QR code below.—
Megan Shinn,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Everything worked out in the end—and wedding culture was changed forever—but needless to say, the wedding episode pulls the curtain back in spectacular fashion.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
6 Mar. 2026
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His shift away from drinking to a healthier lifestyle, including going for runs and working out at the gym, is not unusual for his generation.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pan out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pan%20out. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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