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to pan

to pan

8 6.4
To strongly criticize something in a review
  • verb
  • /pæn/
  • Literature
translation icon : criticar duramente
  • On that note, it's fun to pan titles that will be universally deplored.
  • critics pan

One called Only God Forgives with Ryan Gosling, and that was panned across the board.

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Examples

  • So I'm going to have to pan that like this.

  • You just absolutely panned the title of my podcast.

  • But I am waiting to see how it pans out, how they will execute this.

    Blog text (5)
  • When an author pans a similar author in the same genre, they end up hurting their own sales.

    Blog text (12)
  • Going for the Wiimote-only controls was a novel idea, but it didn't really pan out.

    Blog text (4)
  • Yet, despite Wright's casting missteps, the director does make some brave decisions that often pan out.

    Blog text (12)
  • I'm eager to see if Nate Silver's model will pan out again.

    Blog text (20)
  • The critic panned the film, calling it a waste of time and talent.

  • Many reviewers panned the new restaurant, citing poor service and bland food.

  • She didn't hold back and panned the artist's latest album in her blog.

Synonyms

to criticize
vsto pan
701 3.3

To say what is wrong with someone or something

is a stronger review-based condemnation rather than general disapproval
to trash
vsto pan
  • Offensive
70 5.8

To say very bad things about someone or something

is severe review criticism without the frequent unfairness
to critique
vsto pan
48 6.7

To give an opinion about a work such as a book or film to show its good and bad points

is harsher negative judgment focused on harsh reviews not balanced analysis
to tear apart
vsto pan
  • Informal
21 5.6

To criticize someone or something harshly

focuses on severe review judgment rather than exhaustive fault listing
to lambaste
vsto pan
1 8.0

To criticize someone or something very strongly in public

is severe criticism mainly appearing in reviews rather than public shaming
to scald
vsto pan
1 8.1

To criticize someone or something very harshly

is severe criticism intended for reviews not just harsh personal attack

Antonyms

161 1.0

Words or actions that show admiration for someone

67 4.4

To praise someone or something for good work

Idioms

flash in the pan
  • Informal
4 7.2

A person or thing that has a short time of success and then people forget them

1 9.9

Completely ruined or wasted and no longer useful

Phrasal Verbs

to pan out
  • Informal
48 5.3

To end up in a good or successful way

to pan off
  • Specialized
9.5

To wash sand or gravel in a shallow dish to find small pieces of gold

to pan out
  • Specialized
8.5

To wash small stones in a pan to find pieces of gold

Compounds

23 1.0

A shallow pan with a long handle for cooking food in hot oil

An area in New York where many popular songwriters and music publishers worked in the early 1900s

2 8.4

A Chinese dish with chicken and mushrooms in a light sauce

Peter Pan
  • Informal
2 6.2

A man who acts like a boy and avoids adult duties

A round baking pan with sides that open and a latch to release cakes easily

1 3.0

A shallow pan placed under a machine like a fridge to catch dripping liquid

A flat collar with rounded ends that meet at the front and appears on women's and children's clothing

1 2.4

A shallow pan with a long handle and slanted sides for cooking omelets

1 4.5

A thin sauce made from the juices left in a pan after cooking meat

A wide shallow metal container for making food on a stove

4.6

A shallow pan placed under roasting meat to catch fat and juices

A pan that plugs in and cooks food by baking or grilling

A pan with a built-in electric heater that cooks food without a stove

6.9

A metal tray under a stove that holds ashes so you can remove them

9.8

Support for political, cultural, and economic unity across Europe

A political movement to unite all people who speak German into one country

Pan paniscus
  • Specialized
9.8

A large ape like a chimpanzee that lives in forests of the Congo Basin, often called the bonobo

Pan troglodytes
  • Specialized
7.1

A large wild ape that lives in African forests and uses simple tools

A kind of chimpanzee that lives in east-central Africa and has long hair

9.9

A type of chimpanzee from central Africa with a black face

Pan troglodytes verus
  • Specialized
9.9

A western African chimpanzee with a pale face that is endangered

A day to celebrate and promote unity among countries in the Americas

7.7

An organization that helped countries in the Americas work together before the Organization of American States

9.8

A shallow baking dish for making small pies

1.3

A deep pot with a lid for cooking food slowly

warming pan
  • Archaic
8.2

A long metal pan with a handle and lid filled with hot coals to warm a bed before sleeping

A pan used to keep food warm before serving

How Critical

to vilify
43 7.9
to lambaste
1 8.0
to pan
  • Literature
8 6.4
to criticize
701 3.3

Surface Forms

pan infinitive
panned past
panned past participle
panning present participle
pans third person singular

Etymology

Pan (to criticize) is a newer slang word that began in the early 1900s; a helpful way to remember it is to imagine a harsh hit or strike by a reviewer. That's why to pan a book or film means to attack it strongly and give it a very bad review.