# Fanning

/ˈfænɪŋ/ (US) · /fˈænɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fanning
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

to spread something out into the shape of a fan, or to blow air onto something to make it cooler or a fire stronger. In modern slang, it can also mean acting like an obsessed fan toward a celebrity.

For teachers: to spread out or disperse from a central point into a semicircular shape; also, to increase the strength of a fire or the flow of air by agitation. In contemporary informal usage, it describes the behavior of an obsessive admirer.

## Examples

- She is fanning the fire to keep it burning.
- The police officers began fanning out across the park to search for the missing backpack.
- By fanning the flames of public resentment through provocative speeches, the politician managed to secure a narrow victory despite widespread criticism of his economic policies.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The cards were fanning on the table." but "The cards were fanned out on the table." — When describing the resulting shape rather than the action in progress, the past participle 'fanned' is required.

## Usage notes

- Often used with the particle 'out' to describe physical dispersal; as a slang term, it is typically intransitive.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.