as in provokes
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 foments
Muschietti touched on this in his movies — the bullying of Mike Hanlon and the hate-crime murder of Adrian Mellon — including the way Pennywise fosters and foments the hatred already lurking in the hearts of Derry’s citizens.
—
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
But Cristobal foments hope that new glory is near.
—Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
But Cristobal foments hope that new glory is near.
—Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foments
Verb
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The result is a film that provokes thought more than feeling, one that invites discussion, while denying audiences the emotional dimension that might have driven home its relevance.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
3 Jan. 2026
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But when her latest husband, discord spirit Raksh, provokes the council’s wrath, Amina must clean up his blunder, contend with Marjana’s demands for the truth…and figure out who on her crew is plotting a mutiny.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Kaizen Approach is a Japanese philosophy that promotes incremental change in organizations at every level.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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The National Endowment for Democracy, which promotes freedom across Latin America including in Cuba, has named Eddy Acevedo, a longtime expert in Western Hemisphere politics, as its vice president for policy and government relations.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foments. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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