as in to provoke
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
John Adams's wife, Abigail, told him that if women were not remembered by the new American government, they would "foment a Rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice or Representation"
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Recent Examples of foment
The broadcaster sought to foment anti-communist dissent in Eastern Europe and Russia.
—
Minho Kim, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
The government has accused Russia, and its ally Belarus, of fomenting a migration crisis on the EU’s eastern border with Belarus in order to create chaos and division in the EU.
—Vanessa Gera, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
What’s certain, however, is that NASA, the commercial space sector, and nations around the globe are fomenting their desires to renew lunar exploration.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 14 Jan. 2025
One of the great joys of serving in the United States military is that soldiers from many different backgrounds and races learn to come together as a unit to complete the mission at hand, but the Biden Administration seemed hellbent on creating and fomenting racial division.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foment
Minho Kim, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
The government has accused Russia, and its ally Belarus, of fomenting a migration crisis on the EU’s eastern border with Belarus in order to create chaos and division in the EU.
—Vanessa Gera, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
What’s certain, however, is that NASA, the commercial space sector, and nations around the globe are fomenting their desires to renew lunar exploration.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 14 Jan. 2025
One of the great joys of serving in the United States military is that soldiers from many different backgrounds and races learn to come together as a unit to complete the mission at hand, but the Biden Administration seemed hellbent on creating and fomenting racial division.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foment
Verb
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These tales were layered, open to interpretation, and meant to provoke reflection and herein lies their enduring power.—
Sonya Rehman,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Trump’s comments have provoked a strong reaction, including boycotts on U.S. goods and protests.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Among the cuts this year to the permanent employees were 200 probationary staff, dismissed because they had been either recently hired or recently promoted.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
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Aaronson has left everything on the pitch to get the team promoted, but question marks about his end product in the Championship are hardly going to dissipate in the Premier League.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foment. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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