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
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.
Recent Examples of pans out
If none of these private stations pans out, the only LEO outpost left when the ISS crashes back to Earth will likely be Tiangong, the three-module station that China finished building in late 2022.
—
Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Feb. 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
While episodes have been airing on cable, Wednesday will mark their streaming premiere — and all 10 episodes will come available, meaning that fans won’t have to wait much longer to see how the rest of the season pans out.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2025
The camera pans out to show that there are even more bloodstains splashed over the subflooring of the living room.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
The camera then slowly pans out to reveal that Couric is actually wearing a hospital gown as doctors nearby prepare her for a colonoscopy.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Feb. 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
While episodes have been airing on cable, Wednesday will mark their streaming premiere — and all 10 episodes will come available, meaning that fans won’t have to wait much longer to see how the rest of the season pans out.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2025
The camera pans out to show that there are even more bloodstains splashed over the subflooring of the living room.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
The camera then slowly pans out to reveal that Couric is actually wearing a hospital gown as doctors nearby prepare her for a colonoscopy.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pans out
Verb
-
This look again proves that the trim can belong anywhere, not just the collar or cuffs.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
19 Feb. 2026
-
While performances of the complete play with the incidental music are rare, a half-hour concert version, also rare but less so, proves effective.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Another worry is that if AI succeeds in creating tools to do complicated tasks more cheaply, companies in industries as far flung as software and legal services and trucking logistics could see their businesses get undercut.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Whether that posture succeeds in compelling Iran back to negotiations without crossing into open conflict may depend less on numbers than on how each side calculates the cost of escalation.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Lip Sleeping Mask in Sweet Candy is a bright fuchsia shade that goes perfectly with this sweet flavor.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Perhaps, the thinking goes, people just naturally agree on certain associations between shapes and sounds because of some innate feature of our brain or our world.—
Cody Cottier,
Scientific American,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That works out to estimates ranging from 300,000 to 500,000 residents in a state of nearly 32 million residents.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
That works out to a net domestic outmigration of over 30,000 residents.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pans out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pans%20out. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
