incite, instigate, abet, foment mean to spur to action. incite stresses a stirring up and urging on, and may or may not imply initiating.

FOMENT definition: to instigate or foster (discord, rebellion, etc.); promote the growth or development of. See examples of foment used in a sentence.

Add to word list to cause something bad or illegal to develop: to foment revolution (Definition of foment from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

USAGE Both foment and ferment can be used to talk about stirring up trouble: he was accused of fomenting/fermenting unrest. Only ferment can be used intransitively or as a noun: his anger …

Definition of foment verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

foment (fəˈmɛnt) vb (tr) 1. to encourage or instigate (trouble, discord, etc); stir up

Dec 17, 2025 · foment (third-person singular simple present foments, present participle fomenting, simple past and past participle fomented) He was arrested for fomenting a riot; after all, it's bad …

Both foment and ferment can be used to talk about stirring up trouble: he was accused of fomenting/fermenting unrest. Only ferment can be used intransitively or as a noun: his anger …

Sep 10, 2025 · Foment means to incite or stir up something. Think of it as pushing something into action—sometimes for good, sometimes for bad. When you hear "foment," imagine a person …

FOMENT meaning: to cause or try to cause the growth or development of (something bad or harmful) incite