1
as in to stretch (out)
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area
the accordionist smoothly fanned out the bellows of his instrument as he played
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to radiate
to extend outwards from or as if from a central point
most of the city's subway lines fan out from this central station
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fan (out)
Verb
-
Nara's more recent paintings, such as Midnight Tears (2023), feature tender, fragmented brushwork that radiates introspection.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025 -
Their vocal harmonies intertwine easily over a textured arrangement of keys, bass, drums, and guitars, creating an uplifting summer anthem that radiates sincerity and charm.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
21 July 2025
Verb
-
From the beginning, Blake knew his responsibility extended far beyond administrative and coaching duties.—
Stephanie Tharpe,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Other countries, like Mexico, have extended a temporary trade deal for 90 days with the goal of coming to a new agreement.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
31 July 2025
Verb
-
Inuit movement in Greenland seems to have branched in both directions from the initial, northern settlement point, in two waves, per the study.—
Lauren Leffer,
Popular Science,
10 July 2025
-
Haifaa Al-Mansour (directors branch), Effie T. Brown (producers branch) and Annie Chang (production and technology branch, Science and Technology Council Chair).—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
Further research is needed to expand our knowledge of the effects of probiotics on the gut microbiome.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 July 2025
-
Once a colony forms, more ants will follow and the colony will start to expand.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
26 July 2025
Verb
-
Guitarist Tom Bukovac composed a flowing instrumental riff to open the performance, creating a little extra sweetness that helps hide the passive-aggressive venom.—
Tom Roland,
Billboard,
24 July 2025
-
The mountain slopes tend to erode when saturated, especially after wildfires, resulting in potentially deadly debris flows.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
Once a cult product known for its use in aiding hair growth through scalp massage, castor oil — a natural oil derived from castor seeds — is now sweeping the beauty-sphere with its many uses and purported benefits.—
Tanya Akim,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
-
Rhus tox, also known as Rhus toxicodendron, is a homeopathic remedy derived from the poison oak plant, traditionally used for joint and muscle pain and relieving or preventing poison oak or poison ivy rash.—
Anna Giorgi,
Verywell Health,
29 July 2025
Verb
-
Four of those restaurants opened this year, and the chain is planning for as many as 200 nationwide by the end of 2028, according to the release.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Indeed, teams like Magdeburg and Karlsruhe have recently opened new 30,000+ seat stadiums.—
Manuel Veth,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
While many have expressed relief that schools are being encouraged — and in some cases coerced — to adopt policies to stem antisemitism, some are also concerned that the effort is also compromising free expression on campuses.—
Grace Gilson,
Sun Sentinel,
23 July 2025
-
One of the girls will be there to wipe the tears from your face and stem the sudden mudslide of your dampened makeup.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
18 July 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Fan (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fan%20%28out%29. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share