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• matter of fact
  matter of fact

  noun

  something of a factual nature, as an actual occurrence.
• matter-of-fact
  matter-of-fact

  adjective

  adhering strictly to fact; not imaginative; prosaic; dry; commonplace.

matter of fact

¹ American  

noun

1. something of a factual nature, as an actual occurrence.

2. Law. a statement or allegation to be judged on the basis of the evidence.

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matter-of-fact ² American  

[mat-er-uhv-fakt] / ˈmæt ər əvˈfækt /

adjective

1. adhering strictly to fact; not imaginative; prosaic; dry; commonplace.

   a matter-of-fact account of the political rally.

2. direct or unemotional; straightforward; down-to-earth.

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matter of fact British  

noun

1. a fact that is undeniably true

2. law a statement of facts the truth of which the court must determine on the basis of the evidence before it Compare matter of law

3. philosophy a proposition that is amenable to empirical testing, as contrasted with the truths of logic or mathematics

4. actually; in fact

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adjective

1. unimaginative or emotionless

   he gave a matter-of-fact account of the murder

Other Word Forms

• matter-of-factness
  noun
• matter-of-factly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of matter of fact¹

First recorded in 1575–85

Origin of matter-of-fact²

First recorded in 1705–15

Explanation

Someone who's matter-of-fact is straightforward and unemotional. Your matter-of-fact friend won't get upset when her dog runs away — she'll call him calmly until he returns. Matter-of-fact things aren't fancy or stylish; they just tell it like it is. A matter-of-fact letter to the editor is practical and factual, and a kid's matter-of-fact apology for breaking his neighbor's window will take responsibility and offer a sincere "I'm sorry." A matter-of-fact news report doesn't sensationalize facts, but simply states them. Originally, matter-of-fact was a legal term meaning "portion of an enquiry concerned with truth or falsehood."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

matter of fact matter-of-fact

“As a matter of fact, I haven’t blown any money going to the Knicks in the NBA Finals in over 25 years.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

“As a matter of fact, he got on the piano with me and played it.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026

"The Premier League's dominance is just denoted as a matter of fact," Honigstein said.

From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2026

As a matter of fact, 15 years ago, this golfing classic was proclaimed by the locals to be the biggest sporting event ever in the country of Wales.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2025

As a matter of fact, Brian thought, watching the bank at the end of the curve come at him, they were impossible to turn.

From "The River" by Gary Paulsen

"There's something about being with someone who's very familiar with the process, who is matter-of-fact and at home with it and compassionate - that really helps," Behrens says.

From BBC ● May 2, 2026

The scariest man in music these days is a trim, antsy, matter-of-fact ex-physicist named Mikey Shulman.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 28, 2026

“All the President’s Men” underscores that sentiment with its matter-of-fact final shot, watching a teletype machine writing out years of front-page headlines leading to Nixon’s resignation.

From Salon ● Mar. 7, 2026

The tone was matter-of-fact, direct, resolute, but moments of fear crept in.

From Slate ● Feb. 11, 2026

“Oh, we just blew up our rocket, is all,” said Timothy, trying to sound matter-of-fact.

From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury

Related Words

• deadpan
• down-to-earth
• factual
• pragmatic
• sober
• stoic
• unvarnished