foment

verb

fo·​ment ˈfō-ˌment  fō-ˈment 

fomented; fomenting; foments

transitive verb

: to promote the growth or development of : rouse, incite

foment a rebellion

was accused of fomenting a riot

fomenter noun

Did you know?

If you had sore muscles in the 1600s, your doctor might have advised you to foment the injury, perhaps with heated lotions or warm wax. Does this sound like an odd prescription? It's less so if you know that foment traces to the Latin verb fovēre, which means "to heat or warm" or "to soothe." The earliest documented English uses of foment appear in medical texts offering advice on how to soothe various aches and pains by the application of moist heat. In time, the idea of applying heat became a metaphor for stimulating or rousing to action. Foment then started being used in political contexts to mean "to stir up" or "to call to action."

Synonyms

• abet
• brew
• ferment
• incite
• instigate
• pick
• provoke
• raise
• stir (up)
• whip (up)

Choose the Right Synonym for foment

incite, instigate, abet, foment mean to spur to action.

incite stresses a stirring up and urging on, and may or may not imply initiating.

inciting a riot

instigate definitely implies responsibility for initiating another's action and often connotes underhandedness or evil intention.

instigated a conspiracy

abet implies both assisting and encouraging.

aiding and abetting the enemy

foment implies persistence in goading.

fomenting rebellion

Examples of foment in a Sentence

He was accused of fomenting violence.

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”.

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Even with fomenting concerns, some analysts have recently offered rosier commentary on at least a few powerhouses in tech and retail: Wedbush said last week that Palantir (PLTR-11.20%) remains bound for a $1 trillion market cap. —Harri Weber, Quartz, 10 Mar. 2025

While In Office By Henry Burke Senior Researcher at The Revolving Door Project Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member opinion 9 In a short span, the Trump administration has already fomented multiple crises and the public has taken notice. —William Lambers, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025

Throughout history, these mass gatherings were suppressed by the Catholic Church and insecure democratic governments, which worried that sprees of ecstatic reverie would foment social revolution. —Barrett Swanson, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to apply a warm substance to, from Late Latin fomentare, from Latin fomentum compress, from fovēre to heat, soothe; akin to Lithuanian degti to burn, Sanskrit dahati it burns

First Known Use

circa 1613, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

foment

verb

fo·​ment ˈfō-ˌment  fō-ˈmənt 

: to stir up : rouse, instigate

foment rebellion

fomenter noun

Medical Definition

foment

1 of 2 noun

fo·​ment ˈfō-ˌment 

: fomentation

foment

2 of 2 transitive verb

fo·​ment fō-ˈment 

: to treat with moist heat (as for easing pain)