the little/small matter

noun

—used in an ironic way to refer to a difficult situation or problem

He wants to buy a new car, but first there's the little/small matter of getting enough money to pay for it.

Examples of the little/small matter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There was confirmation of redevelopment work commencing at Elland Road and the small matter of an away kit launch, which positions Leeds among the elite clubs Adidas works with. — Beren Cross, New York Times, 6 June 2026

Before that, the small matter of three Premier League matches to seal their domestic fate. — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 6 May 2026

First, though, Shiffrin had the small matter of another Olympic race to deal with, the giant slalom. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026

And then there was the small matter of Felix Murray and his brothers. — Colm Tóibín, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026