occurring or proceeding in or as if in the logical, natural, or customary course of things; expected or inevitable.
accepting things as occurring in their natural course, or characterized by an acceptance of things as such.
to be matter-of-course in confronting the difficulties of existence.
(usually postpositive) occurring as a matter of course
accepting things as inevitable or natural
a matter-of-course attitude
First recorded in 1730–40
First recorded in 1830–40
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For the first time in the 96-year history of the World Cup, matches have been interrupted around the 22nd and 67th minutes as a matter of course.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026
When governments and their advisers are, as matter of course, using AI to improve their decision-making, expect fewer purblind, tunnel-visioned strategic decisions based on wishful thinking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026
It’s so rare because failure — by pitchers as well as batters — is expected as a matter of course.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2025
Mr Latief added patients who had partial mastectomies should follow up with radiotherapy as a matter of course.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2024
He had always known so many things, and she had accepted that as a matter of course.
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
Instead of being transfixed, Herbert replied in an easy matter-of-course way, “Exactly. Well?”
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
“Convicts, sergeant?” asked Mr. Wopsle, in a matter-of-course way.
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
"He did give her pearls," said Dick, with a matter-of-course air of inner knowledge.
From The Honour of the Clintons by Marshall, Archibald
Birds, and beasts, and fish were completely within their power; and there was a kind of matter-of-course success with them in their capture that was absolutely provoking to a civilized hunter.
From The Puddleford Papers, Or Humors of the West by Riley, H. H.
In a matter-of-course way Bel offered a hand, and Lucinda touched it mechanically.
From Linda Lee, Incorporated A Novel by Vance, Louis Joseph
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
