pan out
verb
panned out; panning out; pans out
: to happen, end, or develop in a particular way : turn out
I'm really enjoying how this is all panning out now and it is so exciting and intriguing to watch and find out what happens next …—
Gary Neville
Gary Neville
especially
: succeed
… the signs revealed that the experiment wasn't panning out … —Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan She [Dixie Hollins] noted that learning about arts and entertainment fills her creative side and works as a great plan B if her goal of working in the medical field doesn't pan out. —Karin Davis-Thompson
Karin Davis-Thompson 
Examples of pan out in a Sentence
the eagerly anticipated kayaking trip never panned out
the investment scheme didn't quite pan out
Recent Examples on the Web
If the CoinDesk report pans out, MetaMask users will soon be able to add Bitcoin directly.
—Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 22 May 2024
This instance would need proof that the new job didn’t pan out.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 16 May 2024
Although his plan on proposing to his wife in Aruba didn't pan out, after winning the lottery, an Illinois couple will finally be able to take a dream vacation together.
—Danielle Jennings, Peoplemag, 16 May 2024
Smith’s dubious bet on Norv Turner as Schottenheimer’s replacement didn’t pan out.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2024
Of his five classes, only the first in 2019 and the third in 2021 are subject to scrutiny, and the 2021 group might still pan out.
—Mike Preston, Baltimore Sun, 28 Feb. 2024
Trending Even if pop stardom doesn’t pan out, Fox is plenty busy.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2024
Not all of his pre-recorded sketches have panned out, but the best of them—like a tongue-in-cheek focus group of real L.A. punk elders—thrive on Mulaney and his writers’ enthusiastic pop-culture geekery.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 10 May 2024
As the boat of partiers zoomed away into the choppy waters of the Boca Raton inlet, the video pans out to the spread of debris left floating in their wake.
—Christina Coulter, Fox News, 7 May 2024
Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 22 May 2024
This instance would need proof that the new job didn’t pan out.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 16 May 2024
Although his plan on proposing to his wife in Aruba didn't pan out, after winning the lottery, an Illinois couple will finally be able to take a dream vacation together.
—Danielle Jennings, Peoplemag, 16 May 2024
Smith’s dubious bet on Norv Turner as Schottenheimer’s replacement didn’t pan out.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2024
Of his five classes, only the first in 2019 and the third in 2021 are subject to scrutiny, and the 2021 group might still pan out.
—Mike Preston, Baltimore Sun, 28 Feb. 2024
Trending Even if pop stardom doesn’t pan out, Fox is plenty busy.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2024
Not all of his pre-recorded sketches have panned out, but the best of them—like a tongue-in-cheek focus group of real L.A. punk elders—thrive on Mulaney and his writers’ enthusiastic pop-culture geekery.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 10 May 2024
As the boat of partiers zoomed away into the choppy waters of the Boca Raton inlet, the video pans out to the spread of debris left floating in their wake.
—Christina Coulter, Fox News, 7 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pan out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pan out
Cite this Entry
“Pan out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pan%20out. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
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