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
Science is communal in the first instance, a matter of clubs and, not infrequently, pairings.
—
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
The movie is imperfect as a matter of tone and pacing, and given its troubled production history, that makes sense.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2024
First reported exclusively by Deadline and announced on October 24 by D.A. George Gascón at a downtown press conference, the action that could see the Menendez brothers free in a matter of months now sits with L.A. Superior Court Judge William Ryan.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024
Other factors matter when picking material, but are more so a matter of personal preference.
—Suzy Forman, SELF, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for a matter of 
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
The movie is imperfect as a matter of tone and pacing, and given its troubled production history, that makes sense.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2024
First reported exclusively by Deadline and announced on October 24 by D.A. George Gascón at a downtown press conference, the action that could see the Menendez brothers free in a matter of months now sits with L.A. Superior Court Judge William Ryan.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024
Other factors matter when picking material, but are more so a matter of personal preference.
—Suzy Forman, SELF, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for a matter of
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'a matter of.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“A matter of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20matter%20of. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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