matter of fact
noun
something of a factual nature, as an actual occurrence.
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matter of fact
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matter-of-fact
matter-of-factadjectiveadhering strictly to fact; not imaginative; prosaic; dry; commonplace.
matter of fact
1 Americannoun
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something of a factual nature, as an actual occurrence.
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Law. a statement or allegation to be judged on the basis of the evidence.
matter-of-fact
2
American
[mat-er-uhv-fakt]
/ ˈmæt ər əvˈfækt /
adjective
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adhering strictly to fact; not imaginative; prosaic; dry; commonplace.
a matter-of-fact account of the political rally.
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direct or unemotional; straightforward; down-to-earth.
matter of fact
British
noun
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a fact that is undeniably true
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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
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philosophy a proposition that is amenable to empirical testing, as contrasted with the truths of logic or mathematics
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actually; in fact
adjective
Other Word Forms
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."
Vocabulary lists containing matter-of-fact
"Birches" by Robert Frost
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“As a matter of fact, he got on the piano with me and played it.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
“And so our audiences came back pretty much as soon as they could come back. As a matter of fact, our subscription and single ticket numbers have grown.”
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025
Actually, as a matter of fact, we didn't.
From BBC • Sep. 21, 2025
“As a matter of fact, I was right.”
From Slate • Aug. 18, 2025
As a matter of fact this might violate a federal statute; he tried to remember the relevant law, found he could not.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
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.
