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Foment vs Provocative - What's the difference?

foment | provocative |

As a verb foment

is to incite or cause troublesome acts; to encourage; to instigate.

As an adjective provocative is

serving or tending to elicit a strong, often negative sentiment in another person; exasperating.

As a noun provocative is

.

foment

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To incite or cause troublesome acts; to encourage; to instigate.
    • He was arrested for fomenting a riot; after all, it's bad enough being in a riot but starting one is much worse.
  • (medicine) To apply a poultice to; to bathe with a cloth or sponge.
  • * 1904, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Abbey Grange , Norton (2005), page 1178,
    • The maid had entered with us, and began once more to foment the bruise upon her mistress's brow.

    Derived terms

    * fomentation

    provocative

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Serving or tending to elicit a strong, often negative sentiment in another person; exasperating.
  • Serving or tending to excite, stimulate or arouse sexual interest.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • * 1723 , Charles Walker, Memoirs of the Life of Sally Salisbury :
    • She used by way of Provocative , to read the wanton Verses of her (Paramour) in the day time [...].
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