matter
- noun
- /ˈmætər/
- The DA apparently declined to pursue the matter, but by then Lee had left for California.
- make matters worse
- complicate matters
- a matter of concern
Examples
-
Intentionally inflicted damage is a criminal matter, and most countries already have laws on the books for this.
Academic text (2011) -
On vacation, holed up in a hotel room, my parents asked, "What's the matter with you?"
Academic text (2017) -
What is the matter with you?
-
Sometimes I have to think over matters before I make a decision.
Academic text (2013) -
Next came the equally important matter of buying myself a dress for the wedding.
Fiction book (1990) -
But then, it's no laughing matter.
-
To what extent would it matter if Evergrande collapsed?
-
The new budget proposal is a serious matter that requires our immediate attention.
-
Addressing this safety issue is a crucial matter for the well-being of our community.
-
It's becoming clear that the environmental crisis is a matter of great concern for everyone.
Synonyms
A situation that causes trouble and needs a solution
A situation that causes difficulty, worry, or inconvenience
Antonyms
Idioms
Compounds
- Specialized
An invisible substance that does not give off or take in light and pulls things by gravity
- Specialized
Tissue in the brain and spinal cord that carries messages between different brain areas
- Specialized
The darker part of the brain and spinal cord containing nerve cells or used to mean being smart
- Specialized
The idea that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a closed system but only changes form
- Specialized
Sections at the end of a book that give extra information like appendices and an index
- Specialized
Pages at the start of a book, like the title page and table of contents
- Specialized
Written pages after the main text that give extra information, like an index or a list of sources
- Texting
A block of information at the start of a digital file that gives title and date for website tools
- Specialized
A rule that matter cannot be made or destroyed in a closed container, so the total amount stays the same
Pictures like photographs, drawings, or charts in a book that are not written words
How Serious
Surface Forms
Etymology
Matter in the sense of a problem comes from the same root materia, meaning 'the thing' or 'material', so if there is 'something the matter' it is the thing that is wrong and needs attention.