foment

/ˈfoʊˌmɛnt/

/ˈfʌʊmɪnt/

Other forms: fomented; fomenting; foments

Stand outside the school cafeteria passing out flyers with nutritional details on school food, and you may foment a revolution — foment means stirring up something undesirable, such as trouble.

You would never say, "Hooray, we fomented a revolution." Instead you'd say, "Those good for nothing scalawags fomented the rebellion." Don't confuse foment and ferment. Ferment can mean "to stir up" in a good way — a football game can ferment excitement in a town, or foment trouble through traffic tie-ups and litter.

Definitions of foment

1. verb

   try to stir up public opinion
   synonyms: agitate, stir up

   types:

   rumpus

   cause a disturbance

   type of:

   provoke, stimulate

   provide the needed stimulus for
2. verb

   bathe with warm water or medicated lotions
   “His legs should be fomented”

   type of:

   bath, bathe

   clean one's body by immersion into water