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"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in provoking
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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
Adjective
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
Verb
-
But an interview with Trump on 60 Minutes also presents tremendous risk for a news organization that has already been the focus of the president’s ire and is now trying to maintain its credibility without provoking him again.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
-
This is an installment of The Nightcrawler, a weekly collection of thought-provoking articles on tech, innovation, and long-term investing by Eric Markowitz of Nightview Capital.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
His alleged infidelity became the inciting incident of the series, and Brooks’s sisters rally around her amid the breakup.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Milei instead relied on the IMF’s guidance for promoting fiscal discipline.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Leo will soon embark on his first international trip, visiting Turkey and Lebanon, where he is expected to focus on promoting peace in the Middle East.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Public conversations often tend away from underlying concerns and instead toward inflammatory language.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
9 Oct. 2025
-
The trainer told Fox News Digital that regular exercise and getting enough sleep are also crucial to reducing inflammatory markers, as well as staying hydrated and avoiding stress.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Experts at Sweetbriar said the effort was not just about saving one insect but also about raising awareness.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Oct. 2025
-
The beloved actor, 99, recently reflected on his life’s work while hosting Vandy High Tea, a charity event raising funds to benefit The Van Dyke Endowment of the Arts and the Dick Van Dyke Museum, which is currently in development, alongside his wife, Arlene Silver.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Confidential informants had apparently accused me of incendiary comments.—
Joe Garcia,
New Yorker,
12 Oct. 2025
-
The film looks like a million bucks, has a high pedigree of talent, and mistakes constant poking for conversation, endless buzzwords for a buffet of food for thought, incendiary hypotheticals for insight.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In some instances, demonstrators have displayed provocative props such as a guillotine to symbolize opposition to federal actions.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
12 Oct. 2025
-
The Valiant is an incredibly provocative car.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This week, the brands unveiled a collaboration defined by a subversive aesthetic.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Fast forward ten years, and Vans has reimagined that same ethos through a skate lens, turning a once-divisive luxury statement into something both accessible and subversive.—
Christopher Claxton,
Billboard,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fomenting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fomenting. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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