matter
noun
the substance or substances of which any physical object consists or is composed.
mattered
-
past participleof matter.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof matter.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
matternounthe substance or substances of which any physical object consists or is composed.
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.
Several people the BBC spoke to said the amount itself mattered less when somebody repeatedly failed to pay.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
No one seems to know who coined the term, but the label wasn’t what mattered; it was the idea that the military was hiding a device that could fix everything wrong with you.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
The simplest explanation is that what mattered to both was the strength of the economy, and a stronger economy bolstered stocks more than they were hurt by the accompanying higher yields.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
The dimensions of both the swellings and their narrow connecting segments mattered.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026
All that mattered was whether a person contributed to the well-being of the people.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
