fan out
phrasal verb
fanned out; fanning out; fans out
: to spread apart or to cause (something) to spread apart
The police fanned out across the park in search of the suspect.
He fanned out his fingers.
Examples of fan out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After a two-year shutdown, fishing boats will fan out along the California coast angling for Chinook salmon this weekend as recreational fishing resumes under strict limits.
—
Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
By understanding the task behind a query, Google hopes to provide AI answers that save people time, even if the model needs a few ticks to fan out and run multiple searches to generate a more comprehensive report on a topic.
—Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
In Chatham, the crime scene spanned multiple blocks as law enforcement agencies fanned out in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025
When fanned out during courtship displays, the tail feathers form a shape reminiscent of a classical lyre, the musical instrument from which the bird gets its name.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fan out
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Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
By understanding the task behind a query, Google hopes to provide AI answers that save people time, even if the model needs a few ticks to fan out and run multiple searches to generate a more comprehensive report on a topic.
—Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
In Chatham, the crime scene spanned multiple blocks as law enforcement agencies fanned out in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025
When fanned out during courtship displays, the tail feathers form a shape reminiscent of a classical lyre, the musical instrument from which the bird gets its name.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fan out
Cite this Entry
“Fan out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fan%20out. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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