as in turmoil
a disturbed or uneasy state
the city was in ferment as its residents nervously awaited the outcome of the referendum vote
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to provoke
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
the various social and economic factors that fermented the major cultural change during the U.S. during the 1960s
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ferment
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Fischer skillfully braids the three stories together, situating them in an atmosphere of creative ferment and reckless churn.
—Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Korin Miller, SELF, 27 Feb. 2026
The grapes for this delicious wine were hand-picked and sorted, then fermented for three weeks before prolonged ageing in 20 percent new French oak barrels for one year.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ferment
Noun
As the kombucha ferments, a thin skin of liquid forms on the top.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Fischer skillfully braids the three stories together, situating them in an atmosphere of creative ferment and reckless churn.
—Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Those were from protein fermenting in the participants’ guts, the researchers explained.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 27 Feb. 2026
The grapes for this delicious wine were hand-picked and sorted, then fermented for three weeks before prolonged ageing in 20 percent new French oak barrels for one year.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ferment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ferment
Noun
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The album reflects all the turmoil and subsequent tranquility that Blake found within the music.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
At that time, Iran was in turmoil several weeks after the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been detained for allegedly violating a strict Islamic dress code.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The lone spark from the hosts was Ross Johnston’s decisive fight win against Tyler Tucker, though Johnston was assessed a major penalty for boarding on the hit that provoked the conflict.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
9 Mar. 2026
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What is beauty if not precisely the property that provokes us to abandon all pretense of analytic remove in our desperation to draw closer?—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Jason Ignacio White, a former head of Noma’s fermentation lab, collected anonymous testimonies of alleged abuse at the restaurant and posted them to his Instagram page.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
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Employees peeked through a wrought-iron gate as former Noma head of fermentation Jason Ignacio White read a letter decrying Redzepi.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Moïse, who said she was born and raised in Haiti and had lived at the family home since 2015, described having as many as 30 to 50 guards around the home at all times.—
Tania Francois,
CBS News,
13 Mar. 2026
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Another audience member sensitively played Sam, the narrator’s love of his life, a relationship that reveals the long-term toll of being raised by a parent suffering from suicidal depression.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Back then, neither of us could have foreseen the pandemic, Georgia’s growing political unrest, a war in neighboring Ukraine, or the collapse of several multi-brand retailers, which altogether has slowed down progress for Situationist and Georgian fashion more broadly.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
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Cruise lines may adjust itineraries due to security concerns, such as military action or civil unrest, along with other reasons like severe weather.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Peterson was promoted to sergeant in 2004 and appointed chief in 2011.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Colleagues came to know her as steady and disciplined, someone others could depend on, and in 1996 she was promoted to assistant city manager.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ferment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ferment. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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