a matter of
phrase
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.
Examples of a matter of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When Khomeini died in 1989, Khamenei became his successor within a matter of weeks.
—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
5 July 2026
To revolut became a verb in 2022, a matter of months after Storonsky’s company received its full banking license in Ireland.
—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
3 July 2026
Enterprise adoption, however, may be a matter of trust rather than capability.
—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
But boosting manufacturing is not just a matter of building factories.
—
Paul Adepoju,
semafor.com,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for a matter of
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Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
5 July 2026
To revolut became a verb in 2022, a matter of months after Storonsky’s company received its full banking license in Ireland.
—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
3 July 2026
Enterprise adoption, however, may be a matter of trust rather than capability.
—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
But boosting manufacturing is not just a matter of building factories.
—
Paul Adepoju,
semafor.com,
2 July 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 6 Jul. 2026.
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