matternoun
uk/ˈmæt.ər/us/ˈmæt̬.ɚ/matter noun (SITUATION)
B2 [ C ] a situation or subject that is being dealt with or considered:
the situation being dealt with or being discussed:
B2 used to say that something has made a bad or difficult situation worse:
C2 If something is a matter of confidence, luck, waiting, etc. that is all you need for it to happen:
C2 to be very serious and not a situation that people should joke about:
More examples
- It's all right working with him, but living with him would be a different matter altogether.
- The government decided to hold a public enquiry into the matter.
- The whole matter is further complicated by the fact that Amanda and Jo refuse to speak to each other.
- This is a matter of great concern to the general public.
- You're not going to help matters by lying there sobbing!
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Topics & areas of interest
- affair
- backyard
- domain
- ground
- in your backyard idiom
- item
- kingdom
- specialism
- specialty
- sphere
- stage
- subject
- subject matter
- sweep
- talking of sb/sth idiom
- theme
- themed
- thesis
- topic
- turf
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
matter noun (PROBLEM)
More examples
- What's the matter with Lulu?
- I don't know what's the matter with this phone.
- You look upset - is anything the matter?
- Why do you need another computer? What's the matter with the one you've got?
- Julie was crying, but she wouldn't say what the matter was.
the reason for pain, worry, or a problem:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Difficult situations and unpleasant experiences
- a (heavy) cross to bear idiom
- a cloud on the horizon idiom
- a fate worse than death idiom
- a hard/tough row to hoe idiom
- a narrow squeak idiom
- bind
- crunch
- curse
- eventuality
- fate
- feeding frenzy
- genie
- going
- have a bumpy ride idiom
- rum
- schtuck
- shtook
- stalemate
- standoff
- vortex
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matter noun (SUBSTANCE)
[ U ] physical substance in the universe:
[ U ] a substance of a particular kind:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Physics: the state of matter
- absorbency
- acid
- acidic
- filtrate
- granulated
- gritty
- heavy water
- limy
- molten
- neutral
- non-flammable
- permeability
- plasma
- powder
- powdered
- pressurized
- runny
- slurry
- sulphur
- thin
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matter noun (TYPE)
C2 [ U ] a substance or things of a particular type:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Categories and varieties
- animal
- brand
- category
- classification
- food group
- form
- genre
- hue
- ilk
- incarnation
- kind
- mould
- order
- run
- style
- take
- type
- typology
- variety
- version
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matter noun (SMALL AMOUNT)
C2 [ S ] used in expressions describing how small an amount or period of time is:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Words meaning small pieces and amounts
- by a nose idiom
- chip
- clipping
- crumb
- dollop
- droplet
- flake
- germ
- jot
- nose
- pat
- patch
- pennyworth
- pinprick
- ray
- scattering
- scintilla
- shard
- shred
- trace
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Idiom(s)
matterverb [ I ]
uk/ˈmæt.ər/us/ˈmæt̬.ɚ/B2 to be important, or to affect what happens:
More examples
- Oh just put it anywhere - it doesn't matter where.
- Her health is what matters - the cost of the treatment is of secondary importance.
- It's the sum total of what you eat over a long period that matters and not what you consume in a day.
- The only thing that matters is that the baby is healthy.
- It doesn't matter if you fail, just do your best.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Being important and having importance
- bulk
- bulk large idiom
- centrality
- come
- come before sth/sb
- count
- cut
- cut to the chase idiom
- fish
- have bigger/other fish to fry idiom
- have/take pride of place idiom
- loom
- loom large idiom
- mean the world to sb idiom
- outweigh
- override
- reign
- rise
- signify
- weigh
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