one of those things

noun phrase

informal
used to refer to a bad or unfortunate experience that happened and to say that such experiences can happen to anyone
I missed the train and had to take a later one. It was just one of those things, I guess.

Examples of one of those things in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Slimy Lunch Meats Lunch meats are one of those things that often evade clean-outs. Heather Bien, Southern Living, 8 Feb. 2025 And at this moment one of those things, for Jonathan Sims and Kyle Shire, is that Altadena’s Grocery Outlet is still standing. Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Jan. 2025 The compounded tragedy of that is one of those things he’s never been able to really sift through, analyze, process, come to terms with. Max Gao, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025 That’s one of those things where, like, the internet is surprised by something when the trail is right there. Jem Aswad, Variety, 11 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for one of those things

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“One of those things.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one%20of%20those%20things. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!