Definition

A person who encourages or stirs up something, often in a negative or disruptive way.

Example

The fomenter of the protest rallied the crowd to demand change.

Conversation

Did you hear about the guy who always tries to fomenter trouble in our group?

Yeah, I can't believe he actually enjoys it.

It's so annoying because we just want to have fun without a fomenter around.

Totally! We should just ignore him and focus on enjoying ourselves.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Fomenter → It is formed from "fomentare" (meaning to warm or soothe) and the suffix "-er" (meaning a person who). The word refers to a person who instigates or encourages something, often in a negative context, like trouble or unrest.

Memory Tip

Think of someone who 'warms up' ('fomentare') a situation, encouraging it to grow, which is why a fomenter is someone who instigates or stirs up trouble.

Visually Confused Words