as in to provoke
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 foment
In my view, the department was unprepared for the type of nuclear conflict Trump might foment.
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Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Three people with knowledge of those interests said there was consternation among insiders that forcing Maduro out could foment chaos and unrest and impede their access.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
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
That sluggish growth deepened religious and ethnic fault lines and allowed political opportunists to foment violence, forcing the authorities to focus on maintaining stability rather than spur economic transformation.
—Amaka Anku, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foment
Verb
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Analysts and insiders told CBS News the scale of the response to Pahalvi's call could determine whether the deadly, 12-day-old protests fizzle out as previous rounds of unrest have, or grow into a major challenge to the government, and provoke a possible wider crackdown.—
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Intrusive thoughts provoke an anxious spiral as the moon and Saturn oppose.—
Verb
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Still, the district put full faith in its current coaches, promoting from within.—
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The series is part of the theater's efforts to promote accessible, affordable arts programs for the Aurora community.—
Cite this Entry
“Foment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foment. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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