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
Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
This Jesse Jackson was a dangerous man, a radical, a demagogue, someone who thrived off fomenting racial division.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Chávez himself drew heavily on Fidel Castro’s Cuba in fomenting the ideology, which has ruled over Venezuela since Chávez came to power in a 1998 presidential election.
—Paul Webster Hare, The Conversation, 19 Jan. 2026
Khamenei has repeatedly blamed Israel and the United States for fomenting the protests, which broke out in response to deteriorating economic conditions.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 18 Jan. 2026
Iranian officials have repeatedly accused the United States and Israel of fomenting unrest in the country.
—Elena Becatoros, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
Both head coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah talked Tuesday about fomenting competition in the quarterback room this offseason.
—Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
Iranian leaders have accused America and Israel of fomenting the demonstrations, which began in late December over soaring prices and the abrupt collapse of Iran’s national currency.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 11 Jan. 2026
The real issues were that Venezuela has great oil resources and has been fomenting instability by offering a hemispheric base for China, Russia and Iran.
—John Brummett, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
Many cops and union officials blamed de Blasio’s support for Black Lives Matter and other protesters against police brutality for fomenting anti-cop sentiment that culminated in the slayings.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
This Jesse Jackson was a dangerous man, a radical, a demagogue, someone who thrived off fomenting racial division.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Chávez himself drew heavily on Fidel Castro’s Cuba in fomenting the ideology, which has ruled over Venezuela since Chávez came to power in a 1998 presidential election.
—Paul Webster Hare, The Conversation, 19 Jan. 2026
Khamenei has repeatedly blamed Israel and the United States for fomenting the protests, which broke out in response to deteriorating economic conditions.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 18 Jan. 2026
Iranian officials have repeatedly accused the United States and Israel of fomenting unrest in the country.
—Elena Becatoros, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
Both head coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah talked Tuesday about fomenting competition in the quarterback room this offseason.
—Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
Iranian leaders have accused America and Israel of fomenting the demonstrations, which began in late December over soaring prices and the abrupt collapse of Iran’s national currency.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 11 Jan. 2026
The real issues were that Venezuela has great oil resources and has been fomenting instability by offering a hemispheric base for China, Russia and Iran.
—John Brummett, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fomenting
Adjective
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Gosling voices the film’s thought-provoking questions about victimization and villainy with full commitment, and his rigidity — that tall posture, those limitless eyes — add another layer to the work.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
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Collections and designers put their best foot forward, delivering high-caliber collections — some were uplifting, others were thought-provoking, most were both.—
Laure Guilbault,
Vogue,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Several of her Instagram posts also included hashtags promoting Swift’s album.—
Joe Kottke,
NBC news,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Chestnut said in an Instagram story, promoting a clip from the Sunday, March 29, episode, in which Watson is reunited with Sherlock.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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While one of the inciting events for establishing the Code of Credits happened to be a crowd of producers onstage at the Oscars, the goal never was to exclude anyone from the profession.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
24 Mar. 2026
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Atwood told Wertheim there were several ways into the story, but an inciting event came in 1981, just after former President Ronald Reagan was elected for the office.—
Will Croxton,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Unseasonably warm temperatures continue to take a toll on Colorado's snowpack, raising concerns about dangerous avalanche conditions across the high country.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Past grand juries have issued reports raising awareness of shady land deals, questionable legislative appropriations and officials slow-walking public records requests.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Hasan Piker's emergence as a Democratic campaign surrogate has split the party between those who see him as a crucial bridge to millions of young voters and those who view his inflammatory rhetoric as a liability that could cost elections.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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The White House has dismissed comparisons of the president to fascists as inflammatory and inaccurate.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In late 2024, more than 30 pupils were injured in an explosion caused by the manufacturing of incendiary devices intended for use at a student demonstration in Santiago.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The department said the investigation almost immediately revealed an incendiary cause, and an arson investigation was underway.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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If the storytelling were tighter and more successfully focused on its more sociologically provocative elements, Detective Hole could have settled into the overstuffed genre’s top tier rather than taking a place in the acceptable middle.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
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But this crop of youthful, intentionally provocative antisemites is novel in some ways.—
Suzanne Schneider,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Like a little kid touching a finger to a painting when the museum guard isn’t looking, taking knife and fork to this artistry felt subversive.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
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Started in 2014 after Liang graduated from Parsons School of Design, the Sandy Liang label broke out in the early 2020s, becoming synonymous with subversive ultrafeminine attire.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fomenting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fomenting. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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