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pan out

B1 informal inseparable intransitive
In simple words

Turn out to be successful or happen the way you expected.

Literal meaning: From gold mining: panning sediment to see if gold emerges — if it pans out, you find gold.

Meanings

1 B1 idiomatic informal

(Informal) To develop or result in a particular way, especially successfully; to turn out as hoped.

"We had high hopes for the business venture, but it never quite panned out the way we imagined."

Grammar: inseparable
2 C1 neutral

(Literal, historical) In gold panning: for gold or valuable material to be found when washing sediment in a pan.

"After hours of work by the river, the prospector's efforts finally panned out — he found several large nuggets."

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

Derived from gold-panning — if gold panned out, you found something valuable. Usually used in contexts of plans, hopes, or predictions. Very common in American English; also used in British English.

Commonly used with

plan idea deal career relationship investment

Forms

Base
pan out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pans out
he/she/it
Past simple
paned out
yesterday
Past participle
paned out
have + pp
-ing form
paning out
continuous

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Synonyms

work out turn out succeed come off materialise come to fruition

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