1
2
as in succeeds
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 pans out
Whether that pans out remains to be seen, but Adlon noted the strange parallels between her character's journey with Maul and her own relationship with Witwer.
—
Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 7 Apr. 2026
No matter how the MVP chase pans out, the Spurs expect Wembanyama to continue to trigger the league’s most egalitarian offense.
—Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 31 Mar. 2026
Depending on how that pans out, Embiid could miss the meeting between the Hawks and 76ers, who have the 16th-hardest remaining schedule, on Saturday.
—Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 2 Mar. 2026
However, at the end of the video, the camera pans out to show a render of what appears to be an F-47.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 2 Mar. 2026
As the camera pans out, the screen flickers, and House appears for a second.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
The camera pans out to the hallway as visitors flee, while the gorilla’s roar echoes loudly in the background.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
There’s drag, and then there’s the drag-on-drag of girls playing boys playing girls playing… well, however that flow chat pans out.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Still, there’s no doubt that his speed, motor and defensive IQ should mesh well somewhere in this team’s lineup, regardless of how this second-line experiment, which started positively against Calgary, pans out.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 7 Apr. 2026
No matter how the MVP chase pans out, the Spurs expect Wembanyama to continue to trigger the league’s most egalitarian offense.
—Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 31 Mar. 2026
Depending on how that pans out, Embiid could miss the meeting between the Hawks and 76ers, who have the 16th-hardest remaining schedule, on Saturday.
—Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 2 Mar. 2026
However, at the end of the video, the camera pans out to show a render of what appears to be an F-47.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 2 Mar. 2026
As the camera pans out, the screen flickers, and House appears for a second.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
The camera pans out to the hallway as visitors flee, while the gorilla’s roar echoes loudly in the background.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
There’s drag, and then there’s the drag-on-drag of girls playing boys playing girls playing… well, however that flow chat pans out.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Still, there’s no doubt that his speed, motor and defensive IQ should mesh well somewhere in this team’s lineup, regardless of how this second-line experiment, which started positively against Calgary, pans out.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pans out
Verb
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Without giving away how the story unfolds, the Chairwoman feels like one of the more honest representations of the uber-wealthy (in a TV world oversaturated with examples), and her husband proves surprisingly effective in connecting the three male leads’ broader arc.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
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Prime Minister Takaichi’s rise proves that Japanese society has matured enough to elect, and welcome, female leaders at the highest level.—
Yuriko Koike,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Woodward succeeds Kevin McDonnell, who will be stepping down from the role, as announced earlier this year.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
17 Apr. 2026
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But what happens outside the clinic often determines whether that plan succeeds.—
Uché Blackstock,
STAT,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If everything goes according to plan, the tugboat carrying Timmy will have left the Baltic Sea by Friday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.—
Bailey Berg,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In response to records requests, his office has cited a range of laws, including one about presentments remaining confidential while a court works out whether a request to repress them should be granted.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
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Lynette loves exploring and works out a lot, her daughter said.—
Taylor Romine,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pans out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pans%20out. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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