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
The bold plan did not pan out, and NASA is currently working to return astronauts to the lunar surface by 2028 — the timeframe the agency had been working toward in the Obama era.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
As Bad Bunny worked through some of his most energetic reggaeton hits, the cameras panned out to show Karol G, Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Alix Earle, David Grutman, Pedro Pascal, and Young Miko all hanging out there.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2026
Here’s how the experience panned out for me.
—Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 8 Feb. 2026
Some things didn’t pan out, notably the potential conversion of the DTC location into a Cherry Cricket.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pan out
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Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
As Bad Bunny worked through some of his most energetic reggaeton hits, the cameras panned out to show Karol G, Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Alix Earle, David Grutman, Pedro Pascal, and Young Miko all hanging out there.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2026
Here’s how the experience panned out for me.
—Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 8 Feb. 2026
Some things didn’t pan out, notably the potential conversion of the DTC location into a Cherry Cricket.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pan out
Cite this Entry
“Pan out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pan%20out. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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