pan out

verb

panned out; panning out; pans out

intransitive verb

: 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

especially : succeed

… the signs revealed that the experiment wasn't panning out …

—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

Synonyms of pan out

• prove

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 final shot features Andy, Nigel, and Miranda all working in their offices, as the camera pans out and zooms away from the high-rise building in what may be an homage to Working Girl (1988), a thematic inspiration for Prada’s screenwriter. —Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 1 May 2026

Every once in a while, your friend's cousin's idea for a movie actually pans out. —Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026

However, the Panthers weren’t seeing things pan out in the recent Div. —Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026

That plan doesn’t pan out quite as easily as Nancy expected, however. —Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 29 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

pan entry 2

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pan out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

pan out

verb

: turn out sense 5

especially : succeed