dis-rih-PYOOT
(noun) The state of having a bad reputation.
The scandal threw the company into disrepute almost overnight.
Fun Fact
Disrepute is often used in legal, corporate, or academic contexts—anywhere reputation really matters. Unlike scandal or shame, disrepute doesn’t always result from wrongdoing; sometimes it’s a result of association or even rumor.
FOH-ment
(verb) To instigate, stir up, or encourage (especially trouble or rebellion).
The speech was accused of fomenting unrest among the workers.
From Latin fovēre, meaning “to warm” or “soothe.”
Fun Fact
While foment sounds fiery, its roots are surprisingly gentle—it originally referred to warming or applying heat to soothe pain. By the 1600s, the word evolved metaphorically to mean “stirring up” passions or conflicts, much like heat can cause something to boil over. Today, it’s most often used in political or social contexts, describing the act of provoking movement or rebellion—the linguistic spark behind a blaze of action.
Today's Word Altruistic al-troo-IS-tik Definition (adjective) Showing unselfish concern for...
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