a matter of
1 of 2phrase
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.
: a situation that requires something be done a certain way because one believes it is the only right way
It was a matter of principle for her that she pay her own way.
As a matter of principle, he would not accept the gift.
Examples of a matter of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
David Frum, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
Polis, who has a broad libertarian streak, insisted his freeing of Peters was not a capitulation to Trump, but rather a matter of principle, which seems plausible to the extent the governor could have anticipated the unshirted hell he’s gotten from fellow Democrats.
—Mark Barabak, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
In Albares’s telling, his government’s stand is a matter of principle, consistency, and adherence to the importance of international law.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
Of the two major parties, the Republicans were intended to be the party that stood against top-down interventions, as a matter of principle.
—Matthew Scogin, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2026
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Noun phrase
Okay, so but the Supreme Court has said this seems to be actually a matter of principle for them—that corruption can be overprosecuted, and that antedates Trump.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
Polis, who has a broad libertarian streak, insisted his freeing of Peters was not a capitulation to Trump, but rather a matter of principle, which seems plausible to the extent the governor could have anticipated the unshirted hell he’s gotten from fellow Democrats.
—Mark Barabak, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
In Albares’s telling, his government’s stand is a matter of principle, consistency, and adherence to the importance of international law.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
Of the two major parties, the Republicans were intended to be the party that stood against top-down interventions, as a matter of principle.
—Matthew Scogin, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2026
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 17 Jun. 2026.
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