fan (out)

verb

Definition of fan (out)next
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)
  1. extend
  2. radiate
  3. expand
  4. branch
  5. open
  6. flow
  7. unfold
  8. derive
Verb
  • Hossain, who teaches part-time at Smith College, including a course on love and devotion in Bollywood cinema, argues that the pressures her film dramatizes extend well beyond South Asia.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But, as Mosley explained to Fox News Digital, a law passed in North Carolina in 2025 extended the statute of limitations for medical malpractice lawsuits specifically for people who have undergone gender transitions.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of extend
Verb
  • This fall, hair trends are all about natural-looking, dimensional blondes that radiate understated luxury.
    — Kat Suico, InStyle, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Youth and parents linked their loss of care to spikes in anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts, with stress radiating through entire families.
    — Dr. SJ Job, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of radiate
Verb
  • The View From Beijing In a departure from business strategies of the past, this current cohort of Chinese companies has a mandate to expand internationally, according to academic Karim Alwadi, based in Beijing.
    — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Opened on New Year’s Day in 1926, the hotel was expanded by famed society architect Maurice Fatio, who managed to maintain intimacy despite imposing a larger footprint.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of expand
Verb
  • In James’s hands, these branching options can seem to amount to distinctions without a difference.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Swooping in Xtracycle got its start providing cargo trailers for mountain bikes and then branched into dedicated cargo bikes.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of branch
Verb
  • Crafted from the finest, lightest tweed, the dress—chosen by stylist Ramona Tabita—features a sumptuous knotted structure that opens into a generous back neckline and culminates in a majestic train that skims the red carpet.
    — Giacomo Aricò, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The bank announced plans in 2022 to open more than a dozen locations in the coming years to capitalize on Charlotte’s rapid economic and population growth.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of open
Verb
  • When local issues become national issues Nationalization does not only flow from Washington down.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Prices for most types of petroleum products have gone up since the war with Iran began in late February, amid limits on how much could flow through the Strait of Hormuz.
    — Willa Rubin, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • Cannes Camera d’Or winner Ben’Imana, directed by Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo, unfolds in the shadow of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, exploring its legacy and the possibility of forgiveness.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The novel explores the challenges of making a life both within and without the arts, and how that unfolds from adolescence into adulthood.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of unfold
Verb
  • That last might be especially true for female human beings who may be more encouraged to have derived an identity based on our role as marital partner or parent.
    — Gloria Steinem, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • There's no retrieval system for reusing institutional knowledge rather than re-deriving it.
    — Imran Aftab, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of derive
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.

Browse Nearby Words

fanny packs
fan (out)
fans
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Cite this Entry

“Fan (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fan%20%28out%29. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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