MATTERS Synonyms: 166 Similar and Opposite Words

matters 1 of 2

noun

plural of matter

as in topics

a major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition) that is not relevant to the matter under discussion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in things

something to be dealt with we must take care of this matter before it becomes a real problem

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in mails

communications or parcels sent or carried through the postal system first-class matter

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in problems

something that requires thought and skill for resolution I've been thinking about the matter all night, and I believe I have a solution

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

matters

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of matter

as in means

to be of importance she believes that doing well in school really does matter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of matters

Noun

This matters because young broiler chickens (chickens raised for meat) require very warm conditions to mature. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026 That rinse-clean standard matters for anyone worried about buildup, since a scalp oil that lingers after washing can leave hair looking greasy rather than nourished. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026 Related Stories Rice, however, was not destined to advise on matters of Uno and Matchbox cars. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026 How hotel cleanliness schedules vary by brand Policy is not uniform across the industry, and for travelers running multi-city weeks, the flag on the sign matters. — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026 Technology that makes expression and work more accessible matters to me. — Morissa Schwartz, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 Major League Baseball is monitoring the situation and could conduct its own review after the state and federal matters are concluded. — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Questions regarding those matters are best directed to the event organizers. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Four chiral molecules in particular can illustrate why handedness matters in medicine. — Mallory Green, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026

Verb

But the detail that matters most happens in a small testing room in Norwell. — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026 The common concern is what matters in the scene, and where the audience should be as that part of the story unfolds. — Callum McLennan, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026 Locker room celebrations in the NFL tend to be subdued until the Super Bowl, and since hockey players are famously superstitious, popping bottles early is practically verboten in the NHL; the Stanley Cup is all that really matters. — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 That matters because nearly nine in 10 K-12 students in America attend public schools. — Raymond C. Pierce, Sun Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026 Four months may not sound like a long time, but with cancer, early detection matters. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 Why Thwaites Glacier matters Located in West Antarctica, Thwaites is one of the region’s largest contributors to ice loss. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026 Endocrinologists say the timing of that first cup matters more than the cup itself. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026 This is a very energy-efficient way to move around, and energy-efficiency matters a lot in robotics. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for matters

Noun

The five-phase planning process for rebuilding the mansion was expected to be completed this fall, but the project appears to remain in the planning stage, based on the topics scheduled for discussion at the open house.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026
On October 15, Flow Space welcomed hundreds of attendees to its annual Women’s Health Summit for a day of conversations about the hottest topics in midlife women’s health.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of topics

Noun

Which brings us back to the list of things that lasted longer than Zacharia’s term as White House Press Secretary.

— Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
The wide-leg pants keep things relaxed, and the ruched waist on the knit top adds shape and makes the whole look feel more polished than a standard sweatshirt set.

— Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of things

Noun

The book-gifting program, part of the nonprofit Dollywood Foundation, mails free, high-quality books to children across the country and around the world once a month from birth to age 5.

— Kristy High, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Each month, the book gifting program mails free books to children from birth to age 5, regardless of their family’s income.

— Devarrick Turner, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of mails

Noun

The thing is, the problems in the United States aren’t my problems.

— Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Just as running from my problems was, clearing my mind over the course of many miles, or racing hard, until the adrenaline cleansed me of feeling pain, sadness, disappointment, or rage.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of problems

Verb

Price optimization means choosing prices that advance business goals, such as increasing profits, attracting shoppers or clearing unsold goods.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
This defense needs to find a way to make quarterbacks uncomfortable without becoming blitz crazy, and that means Chop Robinson, Josh Uche and Malik Herring must step up and win more of their 1-on-1 assignments.

— Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of means

Noun

Here is how the Democratic Senate candidates are campaigning on climate and energy issues in competitive states this year, and their stance on the Green New Deal.

— Maydeen Merino, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
The integrated workflow also supports maintenance and repair, helping the team identify hardware issues and return robots to testing faster.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of issues

Noun

Most moving, above all, are the correspondences with the writers themselves who reach out at their own expense—quite literally.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
From there, Langlands conjectured the existence of a family of correspondences between objects, symmetries, and properties.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026