the little/small matter

noun

—used in an ironic way to refer to a difficult situation or problem

He wants to buy a new car, but first there's the little/small matter of getting enough money to pay for it.

Examples of the little/small matter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There is the small matter of a U.S. presidential election coming up on November 5, an election that some are calling the most consequential in living memory. —Dan Berger, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

Before then, there’s the small matter of an update to the iPhone SE. —Ewan Spence, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024

But there is also the small matter of navigating the notoriously difficult Western Conference, which is looking particularly stacked with talent this season. —Matias Grez, CNN, 9 Oct. 2024

All that while rocking his half-bat-like features like sharp teeth and pointy ears — oh, there’s also the small matter of his need for human blood. —Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 31 July 2024