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the thing is

Idioms  
  1. The issue, main point, or problem is, as in The thing is, we haven't enough money for the tickets. [Colloquial; late 1800s]


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.

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"They have extraordinarily good engineers...so they will solve the problem, the thing is the schedule," he added.

From Barron's Jun. 12, 2026

Rogers: The internet is a very weird place and the thing is, it deliberately ignores nuance.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 11, 2026

When the Mandalorian needs to break Rotta out of a jail cell, he simply puts a gadget on the door, and the thing is done.

From The Wall Street Journal May 21, 2026

“Whether people feel like he’s failing or people just feel like he’s not doing enough, I have heard both. But the thing is, can we expect him to be somebody other than who he is?”

From Salon Nov. 7, 2025

“But you’ve got to remember, Charles is sick now. He’s not himself. And the thing is, I believe he knows it.”

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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