as in numbness
a lack of emotion or emotional expressiveness
a man of remarkable phlegm, never showing enthusiasm nor displeasure
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Recent Examples of phlegm
Signs and symptoms include a cough that lasts for three weeks or longer, coughing up blood or phlegm, chest pain, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, fever, chills and night sweats, according to the CDC.
—
Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2025
Common symptoms of pneumonia include chest pain when breathing or coughing; fatigue; fever, sweating and shaking chills; nausea or vomiting; and a cough that produces phlegm, according to the Mayo Clinic.
—Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
Other common symptoms of CF include coughing attacks (often with phlegm), shortness of breath, greasy and bulky stools, rectal prolapse and constipation.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2025
Use Peppermint Peppermint can effectively soothe a sore throat, thin mucus, loosen phlegm, and calm coughs.
—Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for phlegm
Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2025
Common symptoms of pneumonia include chest pain when breathing or coughing; fatigue; fever, sweating and shaking chills; nausea or vomiting; and a cough that produces phlegm, according to the Mayo Clinic.
—Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
Other common symptoms of CF include coughing attacks (often with phlegm), shortness of breath, greasy and bulky stools, rectal prolapse and constipation.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2025
Use Peppermint Peppermint can effectively soothe a sore throat, thin mucus, loosen phlegm, and calm coughs.
—Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for phlegm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phlegm
Noun
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Same goes if it’s accompanied by other new-to-you symptoms—like numbness, weakness, tingling, fever, weight loss, or issues with bowel or bladder function, all of which can point to conditions that require medical care.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
12 Sep. 2025
-
There’s still quite a bit of numbness in my foot and my thigh as well.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The emptiness gives her space to think.—
Keith Flanagan,
Architectural Digest,
11 Sep. 2025
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Voisin — who played another hero of a French classic in Xavier Giannoli’s 2021 adaptation of Balzac’s Lost Illusions — carries the entire drama as a lost soul whose physical beauty (perfect jawline, killer abs) can hardly conceal the emptiness inside of him.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
His static, often distant camera has a trace of coldness to it too.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Birkin adored the baby but was tortured by her husband’s coldness.—
Anahid Nersessian,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Their apathy is hardly surprising.—
Gary Drenik,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Also, don’t mistake your own ignorance & apathy as universal or admirable.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Phlegm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phlegm. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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