as in provoking
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as in promoting
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 fomenting
Semafor Events, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Questions will now be asked about whether the host team played a role in fomenting the aggression.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
If the unspoken goal of the administration is to centralize power around itself and create a perception of instability surrounding the status quo, then fomenting mistrust in data is an effective approach.
—Sheldon Jacobson, Twin Cities, 25 Sep. 2025
The company probably didn't mean to draw attention to the fact that Liquid Glass occasionally renders the boundaries between different parts of a window indistinct, fomenting border disputes.
—ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
In May, 1978, long after the first unrest in Qom, Farah seemed not to have even heard of the ayatollah who was fomenting rebellion from Iraq.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
The effort kicked off last summer, when 74 fellows (out of roughly 1,600) sent a letter to the Royal Society’s leadership, reportedly out of concern that Musk’s X posts were fomenting racial violence in the United Kingdom and could therefore bring the institution into disrepute.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
The hearing itself relitigated the Republican narrative that cities run by Democratic mayors are impeding federal immigration enforcement efforts and fomenting crime within their borders.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025
But a rump of conservative Catholic traditionalists with money and political power are fomenting division.
—R. R. Reno, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2018
Verb
In the run-up to the polls, media outlets were hacked, several people were arrested for allegedly fomenting violent unrest, and Moldova’s embassy in Brussels was evacuated over a bomb threat.
—Semafor Events, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Questions will now be asked about whether the host team played a role in fomenting the aggression.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
If the unspoken goal of the administration is to centralize power around itself and create a perception of instability surrounding the status quo, then fomenting mistrust in data is an effective approach.
—Sheldon Jacobson, Twin Cities, 25 Sep. 2025
The company probably didn't mean to draw attention to the fact that Liquid Glass occasionally renders the boundaries between different parts of a window indistinct, fomenting border disputes.
—ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
In May, 1978, long after the first unrest in Qom, Farah seemed not to have even heard of the ayatollah who was fomenting rebellion from Iraq.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
The effort kicked off last summer, when 74 fellows (out of roughly 1,600) sent a letter to the Royal Society’s leadership, reportedly out of concern that Musk’s X posts were fomenting racial violence in the United Kingdom and could therefore bring the institution into disrepute.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
The hearing itself relitigated the Republican narrative that cities run by Democratic mayors are impeding federal immigration enforcement efforts and fomenting crime within their borders.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025
But a rump of conservative Catholic traditionalists with money and political power are fomenting division.
—R. R. Reno, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fomenting
Adjective
-
The 2024 three-part docuseries American Nightmare dives headfirst into several thought-provoking issues, like victim blaming and the glaring inadequacies in the criminal justice system.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The fish-out-of-water comedy costarred Sam Shepard and reminded audiences of Keaton’s deft skills at leading a movie that mixed the funny with the dramatic and thought-provoking.—
Dan Heching,
CNN Money,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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He was seen in the video speaking to a man next to where the conservative group was promoting an upcoming appearance by political comedian Alex Stein.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Its campaign calling for the protection of American culture from invaders has raised eyebrows, and prompted accusations by the Southern Poverty Law Center's Hatewatch Project, of promoting a White, Christian nationalist agenda.—
NPR,
NPR,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That’s a solid dramatic question, but one that might’ve been more productive as an inciting incident, as too much of this low-budget drama shuffles around subjects that demand incisive action in 2025, effectively creating a subtle irony that undermines the film’s own point.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
4 Nov. 2025
-
There's a naivety and sweetness to them that's ripped away in an instant when the two passionately make love in the barren house, the inciting incident for the demise of their relationship.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Still, the project adds another exclusive tier to a venue already marked by VIP enclaves, raising questions about how much of COTA’s most distinctive real estate will remain truly accessible — and for how long.—
Patrick Iversen,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The key to raising emotionally resilient kids is the ability to repair.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
At the same time, Stella also got bullied for her seborrheic dermatitis, a different inflammatory skin condition that cropped up on her scalp and created visible patches of flaky skin.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Called Indomo, the company has developed an at-home mode of delivery for the steroid injection, which currently can only be administered in-office by dermatologists and is known to rapidly treat cystic and inflammatory acne.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
French has a history of incendiary social media posts.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Oct. 2025
-
But Sia filed her own documents on Tuesday, countering Bernad's claims as to her sobriety, questioning his own, and leveling a new, incendiary allegation.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
One of the official accounts, @GovPressOffice, has seen nearly 1 billion impressions on X since those first provocative posts in June, per Newsom's campaign.—
Brittany Shepherd,
ABC News,
2 Nov. 2025
-
But Bugonia’s provocative premise doesn’t yield a sci-fi thriller.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Juergen Teller, fashion’s most subversive photographer, known for his dark wit and stark images, has been plumbing the depths — of love, religion, friendship and family.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
-
While the bad clown—a horror staple—might seem like a perversion of a wholesome form of entertainment historically meant for children, the clown in popular culture has always been subversive.—
Time,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fomenting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fomenting. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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