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

That, in turn, could foment more anti-immigrant attitudes and possibly violence. —William McCorkle, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2025

Making sure our teams feel confident enough to act on those instincts—and not succumb to the analysis paralysis that too much data can foment—is critical to creating an environment where smart people feel empowered to experiment and try new approaches. —Cheryl Ragland, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

McDonough plays the acrid spirit of the title character’s dead father, a looming presence still fomenting insecurity and doubt in his son. —Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 3 Dec. 2024

Right wing media and some far-right political figures have seized on the presence of confidential human sources to push the conspiracy theory that the FBI or 'deep state' was involved in fomenting the crowd to violence -- claims that even many attorneys for Jan. 6 defendants have rejected as false. —Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2024

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

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

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)