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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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
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Throughout the weekend, McIlroy and other European players sparred with fans, provoking the Irish golfer in at least one instance to yell back at the crowd, while others flashed middle fingers in response to the jeers.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
-
There was the invasion, the election deniers, and a leader provoking his audience to do something.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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
-
Low-ranking states may also benefit from greater investment in public health services — promoting whole-person health and prevention of mental health conditions — that can be implemented in primary care offices, schools and other community settings, Reinert said.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
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Most recently, the actor has been on the film festival circuit promoting her forthcoming movie Christy.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The suit alleges that the recent comments fit a pattern of sensationalized and inflammatory comments from Ray J over the years.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Olive oil may benefit people with inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune condition that causes joint pain, swelling, and inflammation.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The nonprofit will provide scholarships and supportive services for families raising children with autism.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Prague Reuters — Billionaire Andrej Babis’s ANO party cruised to victory in the Czech Republic’s parliamentary election on Saturday, raising the prospect of a government that would boost Europe’s populist, anti-immigration camp and reduce support for Ukraine.—
Reuters 3 hr ago,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Trump has a long record of incendiary remarks about women, ranging from political rivals to public figures and even allies’ spouses.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
-
These energetic bursts are typically unleashed by the incendiary death of a star, or when it is shredded by a black hole.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Some experts underscored the elevated risk of political violence created by social media, saying its algorithms favor provocative posts that induce user engagement but exacerbate political division.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
25 Sep. 2025
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The cinematic feature directed by Jordan Hemingway sees Twigs and her friend book a room with an unlucky fellow’s credit card as the scene evolves into a provocative hotel rendezvous sans fellow.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Ray had already channelled the antic, subversive spirit of Dada and Surrealism with a series of readymade sculptures that included a flatiron studded with a row of tacks.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
-
In those times, young people who self-described as gangsters fought for territory, and one of their subversive acts was to tag the walls of the city with the verses of cumbia songs.—
Karla Gachet,
NPR,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fomenting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fomenting. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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