Synonyms for foment
- verb
- noun
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Instigate — to incite or cause troublesome acts; to encourage; to instigate
instigate, stir up, incite, promote, stimulate, encourage, provoke, inflame, excite, stir, stoke, rouse, galvanize, galvanise UK, goad, bring about, impel, spur, kindle, motivate, whip up, fire, wake
Noun
Definitions
- v. 1
To incite or cause troublesome acts; to encourage; to instigate.
Foreign governments have tried to foment unrest.
- v. 2
To apply a poultice to; to bathe with a cloth or sponge.
- n. 1
Fomentation.
Related words
- Word family
- fomentation fomenter
Choose the right word
One who excites a quarrel originates it; to promote a quarrel is strictly to foment and urge it on, the one who promotes keeping himself in the background.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- promote We must promote commerce with neighboring countries.
- incite The speaker tried to incite the people to rebellion.
- instigate Feminists instigate women against men.
- agitate Now is not the time to agitate the hornet's nest.
By length
- 4 letters
- fire2, wake1, stir1, spur1, goad1
- 5 letters
- stoke1, rouse1, impel2, beath, stupe
- 6 letters
- kindle2, excite2, incite2
- 7 letters
- promote2, provoke2, cherish2, inflame2, agitate3
- 8 letters
- motivate3, poultice2
- 9 letters
- encourage3, stimulate3, instigate3, galvanize3, galvanise
- 11 letters
- fomentation
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (fire2 = 2 syllables).