matter-of-factly

adverb

as in candidly

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of matter-of-factly Some of the stories are just spoken matter-of-factly, while others are acted out with Jaku doing all the voices. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026 But Redzisz, who previously worked as a curator at Tate Modern, matter-of-factly pointed out why that comparison is inaccurate. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 10 Sep. 2026 The stranger informs her matter-of-factly that Alice’s leg will be amputated unless Anna opts into her payment-plan bargain. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 As the misfits who make up Widow’s Bay react matter-of-factly to some of the creepy and strange goings-on around them, at the center of it all is Matthew Rhys as Mayor Tom Loftis. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026 The late George is still widely hailed as having been Little Feat’s most visionary member and Payne matter-of-factly refers to him as both a mentor and a genius. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026 The tech is terrifying, but it’s treated matter-of-factly, played for barked laughs. — Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 12 June 2026 This is presented upsettingly matter-of-factly — sudden, and just out of frame. — Blake Simons, IndieWire, 18 May 2026 Jason Collins had written it so matter-of-factly. — Chad De Guzman, Time, 13 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for matter-of-factly
  1. candidly
  2. frankly
  3. openly
  4. nonchalantly
  5. casually
  6. coolly
Adverb
  • During his interview, Johnson spoke candidly about his rise to fame and the years of work behind his success.
    — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • In a bucket hat and without a care in the world, Murray speaks kindly but candidly about making his buddy Coyne’s TV dream come true.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of candidly
Adverb
  • The multilayered scheduling considerations for the latter make my head hurt, frankly.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • For those who experienced his rise in real time (and, frankly, many at SoFi probably had, based on their millennial look), Jay has been a pop impresario, a cultural touchstone who helped graft hip-hop culture onto the mainstream.
    — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of frankly
Adverb
  • These provisions keep employers and plan sponsors from openly discussing their contract terms, which Cuban said blocks them from comparing fees and negotiating better deals.
    — Emma Witman, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Worse, while communist parties during the Cold War denied the crimes of the Soviet regime, some of today’s neo-Leninists openly defend them.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of openly
Adverb
  • The outcry came after a left-wing account on X posted a video, dated Thursday, showing two National Guard members standing nonchalantly by a ballot drop box.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In the video, the popular streamers Maya Higa and FaZe Adapt sit together on a log, chatting nonchalantly as a massive grizzly bear lumbers toward them.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of nonchalantly
Adverb
  • Scammers can lift voice samples from videos people casually post on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
    — Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As a result, Stiltz’s observations lean toward glib rather than casually profound.
    — Harry Thorfinn-George, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of casually
Adverb
  • But Thomas and Erika are no fools, coolly telling off smiling Hitler sympathizers during a tony reception.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Minor cringe is meta-cringe, standing apart from the affect while coolly investigating it.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of coolly

Browse Nearby Words

matter-of-fact
matter-of-factly
matters
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Matter-of-factly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/matter-of-factly. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of shindig

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All