matter

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noun

mat·ter ˈma-tər

Synonyms of matter next

: a subject under consideration

Several other matters will come before the committee.

: a subject of disagreement or litigation

The matter in dispute is basically trivial.

matters plural : the events or circumstances of a particular situation

planned to discuss matters with her husband soon

: the subject or substance of a discourse or writing

A graceful style was not enough to hide a paucity of matter.

: something of an indicated kind or having to do with an indicated field or situation

this is a serious matter

as a matter of policy

matters of faith

: something to be proved in law

obsolete : sensible or serious material as distinguished from nonsense or drollery

h(1)

obsolete : reason, cause

(2)

: a source especially of feeling or emotion

: problem, difficulty

What's the matter?

: the substance of which a physical object is composed

: material substance that occupies space, has mass, and is composed predominantly of atoms consisting of protons, neutrons, and electrons, that constitutes the observable universe, and that is interconvertible with energy

: a material substance of a particular kind or for a particular purpose

vegetable matter

d(1)

: material (such as feces or urine) discharged from the living body

(2)

: material discharged by suppuration : pus

: the indeterminate subject of reality

especially : the element in the universe that undergoes formation and alteration

: the formless substratum of all things which exists only potentially and upon which form acts to produce realities

: a more or less definite amount or quantity

cooks in a matter of minutes

: something written or printed

matter suitable for photocomposition

: mail entry 1

first-class matter

Christian Science : the illusion that the objects perceived by the physical senses have the reality of substance

matter

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verb

mattered; mattering; matters

intransitive verb

: to form or discharge pus : suppurate

mattering wound

: to be of importance : signify

Phrases

as a matter of fact

: in fact : actually

for that matter

: so far as that is concerned

no matter

: without regard to : irrespective of

points in the same direction no matter how it is tilted

no matter what

: regardless of the costs, consequences, or results

wants to win, no matter what

the matter

: wrong

nothing's the matter with me

Example Sentences

Noun He has a few personal matters to deal with. Disagreement is one thing, but accusations of lying are a different matter altogether! Can matter and energy be changed into each other? Verb It may not matter to you, but it matters a lot to me! “Why are you being so quiet?” “Does it matter?” “Of course it matters!”

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Enter Email Sign Up Auchincloss and colleagues in both parties were faced with one of the more stark instances of realpolitik, in which the consequences of inaction — both to the nation’s economy and to their own political parties — far outweighed more ordinary matters of principle. —

Jim Puzzanghera, BostonGlobe.com, 31 May 2023 There’s also the matter of the Internal Revenue Service. —

Michael Casagrande | Mcasagrande@al.com, al, 30 May 2023 There’s also the matter of shrinking residuals — the percentage of profits some writers get each time their show is re-aired or licensed. —

Anne Branigin, Washington Post, 29 May 2023 Roman Polanski holed up in an Alpine chalet briefly to skirt U.S. justice, and some of the world’s financial magnates and business gurus have been attracted by the country’s relatively low taxes and secrecy about money matters. —

Morgan Hines, USA TODAY, 26 May 2023 Lynne, for her part, had a complex role in Britney’s legal matters — eventually, the star’s mom supported the end of the conservatorship, only to turn around and ask Britney to pay her $663,203 in legal fees after a judge struck it down. —

Vulture, 26 May 2023 Negotiators also made progress on including a measure to ensure that the government stays funded through 2024, said two people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private talks. —

Rachel Siegel, Jeff Stein, Paul Kane And Leigh Ann Caldwell, The Washington Post, Anchorage Daily News, 26 May 2023 Successful cleanups tempered by new threats from climate change Warmer waters disrupt the food web in spring Lake water mixes every spring when the surface water warms, bringing up nutrients and organic matter that was stuck on the bottom all winter. —

Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 26 May 2023 Taurasi dished out two assists that helped her team continue its lead in the second quarter, while taking matters into her own hands with two 3s and a key defensive rebound that set up Sutton’s driving layup. —

Jenna Ortiz, The Arizona Republic, 26 May 2023

Verb

But in a little over two years, Woodson has turned a listing program into a relevant one in college basketball, not least with the constituency that matters most. —

Zach Osterman, The Indianapolis Star, 1 June 2023 The movie also falls victim, somewhat, to the blessings and curses associated with the multiverse, which offers infinite possibilities but also the occasional sense that there are so many permutations none of them matter all that much. —

Brian Lowry, CNN, 1 June 2023 Although the Senate vote is still pending, the House debt ceiling maneuvering demonstrates that the middle, while shrinking, continues to matter. —

Matt Harris, The Conversation, 1 June 2023 Change management helps hone company priorities Getting the executive team onboard and focused on what matters is one of the first objectives of a transformation initiative. —

Anna Oakes, Quartz, 1 June 2023 Some economists believe the debt-to-GDP ratio is a better metric for gauging debt increase because the nominal levels of debt do not matter as much as how much debt the nation has as a share of its output, Primo said. —

Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 30 May 2023 What matters most, to Shah’s thinking, is how madras is made. —

Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 30 May 2023 What matters in the end is that the company is left without any credible means of responding to the contretemps. —

Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 30 May 2023 The rules will matter especially for Paxton’s wife, since spouses have different privileges against incriminating statements depending on whether the body adopts criminal trial rules. —

Allie Morris, Dallas News, 29 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'matter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.