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

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In just a matter of days, the video has amassed more than 709,400 views and 104,200 likes at the time of writing. Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025 For many residents, especially seniors and people with disabilities, the ability to cut across campus to reach the subway station or local businesses is a matter of accessibility. Victor Edwards, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2025 And a large part was a matter of running ahead of what the state of the art could support in a practical fashion. New Atlas, 14 Jan. 2025 What, exactly, that allegory signifies is a matter of debate. Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 14 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for a matter of 

Dictionary Entries Near 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 19 Jan. 2025.

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