a matter of
idiom
1
—used to refer to a small amount
It cooks in a matter of (a few) minutes.
The crisis was resolved in a matter of a few hours.
The ball was foul by a matter of inches.
2
—used to say that one thing results from or requires another
Learning to ride a bicycle is a matter of practice.
His success was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
It's only a matter of time before/until we catch him.
3
—used to explain the reason for something
She insists on honesty as a matter of principle.
All requests for free tickets are turned down as a matter of policy.
Examples of a matter of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s Espanyol’s Joan Garcia, who is expected to switch allegiances to his boyhood club’s crosstown rival in a matter of days, once Barca has activated a $28.5 million (€25 million) release clause.
—
Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
Well, Musk and Trump are both two people with strong opinions and strong personalities; perhaps a friendship-ending disagreement was only a matter of time.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 7 June 2025
The mayor has recently portrayed cracking down on bike riding as a matter of public safety amid widespread concern.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 6 June 2025
With 15 different pitchers on the injured list, it’s been a matter of treading water.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for a matter of
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
Well, Musk and Trump are both two people with strong opinions and strong personalities; perhaps a friendship-ending disagreement was only a matter of time.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 7 June 2025
The mayor has recently portrayed cracking down on bike riding as a matter of public safety amid widespread concern.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 6 June 2025
With 15 different pitchers on the injured list, it’s been a matter of treading water.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for a matter of
Cite this Entry
“A matter of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20matter%20of. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share