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
Relevance
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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ferment
Book Marks
july 17, Literary Hub, 17 July 2025
Helpful bacteria in the colon ferment inulin, creating byproducts beneficial to health.1
Weight loss: There's little research to support inulin for weight loss.
—Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 9 July 2025
Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 24 July 2025
Kombucha is a slightly sweet form of black tea that results from a mixture of tea, sugar, bacteria, and yeast that has fermented for one to three weeks.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ferment
Noun
Intellectually, the era was one of radical ferment, but radicalism worked on the canonical: D. H. Lawrence and Thomas Hardy remained royalty in schools and universities, thanks to the king-making attentions of Williams and F. R. Leavis.
—Book Marks
july 17, Literary Hub, 17 July 2025
Helpful bacteria in the colon ferment inulin, creating byproducts beneficial to health.1
Weight loss: There's little research to support inulin for weight loss.
—Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 9 July 2025
Verb
The 2024 was fermented in a combination of stainless-steel tanks and neutral French oak barrels to add a bit of complexity to the wine.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 24 July 2025
Kombucha is a slightly sweet form of black tea that results from a mixture of tea, sugar, bacteria, and yeast that has fermented for one to three weeks.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ferment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ferment
Noun
-
The investigative updates Tuesday came as the CDC held an all-agency meeting where staffers hoped to get more details about last week’s shooting – the latest example of the ongoing turmoil at one of the world’s top health agencies, more than five years after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
12 Aug. 2025
-
So there was a huge amount of political turmoil around continuing with the SALT cap.—
Tax Notes Staff,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Casey Durkin—Bravo While Jax, surely at the urging of producers, tried to provoke Kristen by questioning her fertility choices, nothing major happened in the premiere.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
13 Aug. 2025
-
As a futurist, my role was to provoke fresh insight and decisive action.—
Lisa Bodell,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
After a fermentation process that once relied on the warmth of a salt block and sunlight, now replicated by a light bulb in a cabinet, the mixture is combined with yeast and flour, left to rise again.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
17 Aug. 2025
-
Aged cheeses undergo fermentation and drying processes that intensify flavor and extend shelf life, while cottage cheese has a higher moisture content and must be refrigerated to prevent spoilage.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
Verb
-
Utility officials opened a dam and released 4 billion gallons of water to raise the river's level.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Mostly sunny skies and building high pressure aloft will gradually raise temperatures and humidity through the next week.—
Kaycee Sloan,
The Enquirer,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The proposal being evaluated now would allow the president to mobilize troops and put them on Title 32 orders in a state experiencing unrest.—
ALEX HORTON AND DAVID OVALLE THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The Interior Ministry report explicitly suggested the recognition of a Palestinian state as a means of quelling Islamic unrest, according to a translation from the Center for Security Policy.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
On a societal level, bigger cars take up more public space, leaving less room for the livable, likeable city and promote urban sprawl.—
Mattias Goldmann,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
-
In addition to Wicked: For Good, which premieres on Nov. 21, the Oscar winner is also busy promoting Ne Zha II.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ferment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ferment. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share