How to Use phosphorus in a Sentence

phosphorus

noun
  • How much phosphorus has built up?
    — Dinesh Phuyal, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Finnegan said some years the district won’t use any phosphorus on park land.
    — Suzanne Baker, Naperville Sun, 3 July 2018
  • The phosphorus is able to form biomolecules which help lead to the emergence of life.
    — Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2021
  • Part of the answer lies in how the amount of phosphorus in the soil is measured.
    — Dinesh Phuyal, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Mix a sprinkling of phosphorus with the soil in the bottom of the hole or trench.
    — Charlotte Germane, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2023
  • There are reports of the use of white phosphorus against the Kurds.
    — Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2019
  • What’s most puzzling about the amount of phosphorus in our galaxy?
    — Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
  • The phosphorus plays a dual role.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 13 Jan. 2026
  • In a screwup, the phosphorus exploded not over the target but over the men.
    — Richard Brod, The New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2021
  • And low levels can be found in soil that has sufficient phosphorus for plant growth.
    — Dinesh Phuyal, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
  • So soil where tests find high phosphorus levels may have very little available to plants.
    — Dinesh Phuyal, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Bone meal sprinkled around the plant and watered into the soil is a good source of phosphorus.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Peas, beans, and other legumes add nitrogen to the soil but need lots of phosphorus.
    — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, 23 Feb. 2017
  • The state has strict rules on the amount of phosphorus that can be discharged from wastewater treatment plants.
    — Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2023
  • Above ground, phosphorus allows crops to grow and is a critical part of the life cycle.
    — Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 8 Apr. 2020
  • Turns out the more bran and whole grains in bread, the higher their phosphorus and potassium content.
    — Hallie Levine, Health.com, 1 Nov. 2021
  • Try to drink it black, or with as little milk or cream as possible, since dairy itself is high in phosphorus.
    — Hallie Levine, Health.com, 1 Nov. 2021
  • The phosphorus problem is a slow-moving one, built over decades and hidden below ground.
    — Dinesh Phuyal, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
  • The nutrient that plants need to make buds and blooms is phosphorus, yet coffee contains none.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Dec. 2025
  • This helps to ensure that the phosphorus gets properly absorbed and doesn't run off.
    — Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2023
  • And try a bit of high phosphorus fertilizer to get more flowers.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 8 Oct. 2021
  • Some bacteria and fungi make phosphorus in the soil available to plants.
    — Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
  • The decision came amid a rush to meet new phosphorus removal guidelines.
    — Rick Kambic, chicagotribune.com, 25 May 2018
  • For the most part, there isn't an equal need for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
    — David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 1 May 2026
  • Lean meats, poultry, and seafood also contain less phosphorus.
    — Carley Millhone, Health, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Cashews Nut varieties like cashews tend to contain the most phosphorus.
    — Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Previous studies have found that half the phosphorus in the lake in the summer comes from human urine.
    — Martin Finucane, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Apr. 2018
  • It can be started from offshoots and seeds and is high in protein, calcium and phosphorus.
    — Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Feb. 2018
  • However, this would have to be applied to half the cropland that has the highest phosphorus loss.
    — Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, 26 Apr. 2018
  • Israel is not alone in deploying white phosphorus.
    — Stephan Bisaha, NPR, 6 June 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'phosphorus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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