a matter of
idiom
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
That idea became a DIY firepit project that took shape over a matter of hours.
—
Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
No one was held at gunpoint, there were no injuries, and the thieves made away with more than $100 million worth of jewelry in a matter of minutes.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 19 June 2025
But these are the same operators who managed the process of black-starting the grid to normal operations within a matter of hours.
—ArsTechnica, 18 June 2025
Because the memory of these fragments is always created, as a matter of reconstruction.
—Joanna Walsh
june 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for a matter of
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Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
No one was held at gunpoint, there were no injuries, and the thieves made away with more than $100 million worth of jewelry in a matter of minutes.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 19 June 2025
But these are the same operators who managed the process of black-starting the grid to normal operations within a matter of hours.
—ArsTechnica, 18 June 2025
Because the memory of these fragments is always created, as a matter of reconstruction.
—Joanna Walsh
june 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025
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 26 Jun. 2025.
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