Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

fan out

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.91 in modern English

Syllables: fan out
IPA

9

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

1

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To spread out into the shape of a fan.

Intransitive verb; Transitive verb

verb

To display (or reveal) oneself as a fan or obsessive.

Slang

Example Sentences

"West of the summit the cutting fans out at the entrance to the new yard on the north side."
"Its streets fan out towards the clifftops, and its sheltered North Landing harbours open-decked fishing boats, called 'cobles'."
"Although the platforms for the station will be 450 metres, the full length of the 850-metre box is to allow the tracks to fan out and switches to be installed, so that the trains can reach each of the six platforms."
"A 2014 study published by Innovations in Clincal Neuroscience, however, pointed to "narcissistic features, dissociation, addictive tendencies, stalking behavior, and compulsive buying" among people who fan out over celebrities."

Usage

Inflected Forms

fans out (present, singular) fanning out (participle, present) fanned out (participle, past) fanned out (past)

Synonyms

diffuse spread spread out

Questions

What does fan out mean?: To spread out into the shape of a fan.

How to pronounce fan out

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “fan out”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “fan out”.
Repeat and practice — Say “fan out” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.