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
Now there’s just the small matter of the launch and journey to the asteroid, and the hope that what Odin finds will lead to the riches long touted from asteroid mining.
—
Jonathan O’Callaghan, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Away from spreadsheets, there is also the small matter of a Premier League match against Everton on Saturday with the Merseyside club the in-form side in the division under former United manager David Moyes.
—Mark Critchley, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
Before then, there’s the small matter of the Pixel 9a, a mid-range variant of the current handsets.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Top 6 finish could yet be a real possibility with a bit of luck and some furious balancing - plus, of course, the small matter of getting something better, faster out of longer-term developers like Damsgaard and KLP.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, The Athletic, 7 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for the little/small matter
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Jonathan O’Callaghan, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Away from spreadsheets, there is also the small matter of a Premier League match against Everton on Saturday with the Merseyside club the in-form side in the division under former United manager David Moyes.
—Mark Critchley, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
Before then, there’s the small matter of the Pixel 9a, a mid-range variant of the current handsets.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Top 6 finish could yet be a real possibility with a bit of luck and some furious balancing - plus, of course, the small matter of getting something better, faster out of longer-term developers like Damsgaard and KLP.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, The Athletic, 7 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for the little/small matter
Cite this Entry
“The little/small matter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20little%2Fsmall%20matter. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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