a matter of

idiom

—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.

—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.

—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

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Prolonged uncertainty Accounting for uncertainty for a matter of days might prove to be somewhat optimistic—elections since the turn of the millennium have dragged on for weeks before a final result was announced. —

Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024 The president was pushed out by his own party in a matter of weeks. —

Stephanie Murray, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024 In just a matter of days, the viral clip has amassed over 7,600 comments on TikTok already. —

Alyce Collins, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 Again, that’s a matter of personal style preferences so there’s no hard and fast rule for house paint colors that are off the table. —

Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for a matter of