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
With just enough codeine to wash the phlegm away, Veeze folds slapstick one-liners into audacious flexes like origami.
—
Pitchfork, 30 Sep. 2025
The second is having either 10 or more pack years of smoking, or symptoms of cough, phlegm and trouble breathing.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease is made via chest X-ray, urine test and lab analysis of a phlegm sample.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2025
How brown phlegm looks can vary from person to person.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for phlegm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phlegm
Noun
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Many American students expressed emotions hovering between numbness and heartbreak.—
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Epinephrine, or adrenaline, is added to lidocaine and other dental numbing solutions to shrink blood vessels, reduce bleeding and prolong numbness.—
Noun
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Instead, the general indifference shown toward its own story — or, at least, the best versions of it — comes to emphasize the emptiness at its core.—
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He was left with an unfamiliar emptiness.—
Noun
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Large roof windows maximize natural light, and the interior decor makes use of coated plywood and glass to offset the coldness of the concrete.—
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However, colors can also pull out negative emotions in people, such as defiance (red), coldness (blue), fear (yellow), and boredom (green).—
Noun
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Unfortunately for her, apathy doesn't appear to be part of the recipe for a long and successful career at PTMC.—
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After months of apathy and doubt, optimism is suddenly abundant.—
Cite this Entry
“Phlegm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phlegm. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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