a matter of
1 of 2phrase
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.
: a situation that requires something be done a certain way because one believes it is the only right way
It was a matter of principle for her that she pay her own way.
As a matter of principle, he would not accept the gift.
Examples of a matter of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Of the two major parties, the Republicans were intended to be the party that stood against top-down interventions, as a matter of principle.
—
Matthew Scogin,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for a matter of
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Phrase
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
Noun phrase
In Albares’s telling, his government’s stand is a matter of principle, consistency, and adherence to the importance of international law.
—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Of the two major parties, the Republicans were intended to be the party that stood against top-down interventions, as a matter of principle.
—
Matthew Scogin,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 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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