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
-
At over six feet long, it’s got a serious presence—perfect for anchoring a living room or quietly radiating main character energy under a gallery wall.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
4 Apr. 2025 -
As domestic stability gets wobbly in Turkey the destabilizing effect will radiate out to the neighboring countries, to the region and beyond.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Holland and Sasser will be suspended for one game, and Stewart will be suspended for two games. Oklahoma City aims to extend its 10-game winning streak as the Thunder face off against the Detroit Pistons.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Apr. 2025
-
The final minutes of the horror movie show her being engulfed in darkness until a match is struck, revealing a candle with someone’s hand extended over the flame.—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Another goal: plants inclined to branch more and stay bushy.—
Margaret Roach,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2025
-
Architects Intuitive Dwellings This earthy modern kitchen, designed by Intuitive Dwellings in the Atlanta neighborhood of Serenbe, creates a dramatic centerpiece in an open living concept, featuring a bold backsplash composed of branching marble slabs with opposing brass inlay.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
In this slice-of-life portrait, Chen shows how childhood experiences can shape someone, illustrating how a childhood passion might expand their horizons without necessarily becoming a lifelong vocation.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
29 Mar. 2025
-
The plan’s scope was expanded and refined during months of negotiations with the county and input from residents and workers’ rights groups, Swerdlow said.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Cook until the edges are set, occasionally lifting the edges with a rubber spatula to allow liquid egg to flow underneath, 15 minutes.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Through two separate stories, the films reveal how an untraceable web of money from wealthy individuals and corporations representing business interests or religious agendas flows through nonprofits and super PACs (political action committees) to support candidates and political movements.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Streaming activity fuels almost all of Deep Thoughts’ first week, with 63,000 units deriving from the sector, equaling 85.9 million official on-demand U.S. audio and video streams of the album’s songs.—
Trevor Anderson,
Billboard,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Xanthan and guar gum are derived from plants and are typically safe, even beneficial, according to some studies.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
This is the second time Idaho State Police opened an investigation into allegations against the chief.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
3 Apr. 2025
-
The four hatchlings started cracking from their shells on Feb. 27 and will make their public debut on April 23, the 93rd anniversary of their mother's arrival at the zoo, which opened in 1874.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
For best freshness for longer, store them stem side down, and do not stack them on top of each other.—
Catherine Jessee,
Southern Living,
6 Apr. 2025
-
The delay in announcing the four-series pickup, which was agreed upon in principle late last year, stems in large part from the need for 20th TV Animation to make deals with the casts and producers on each show.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 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 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share