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 ordinary laser fields do not provide the same freedom. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026 Saudi Arabia does not have formal diplomatic ties with Israel, but the countries have long cooperated on security and intelligence matters through alternative channels. — Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026 To worsen matters, the tent’s only electrolyte analyzer was backlogged and every vital-signs monitor was in use. — Vibhu Krishna, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026 Why tracking business expenses matters Tracking expenses pays off in several ways. — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026 More creative only matters if each variation teaches marketers something useful about which problems, benefits, formats or offers resonate. — Matt Jayson, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Flock’s new safeguards show that the company concedes that design matters, but private settings cannot substitute for laws. — Henry F. Fradella, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026 Intimate affairs and conversations around money matters could also intensify. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026 But questions in the Clancy case also extend to matters of jury conduct. — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep. 2026

Verb

Why e-ink still matters E-ink is not trying to replace your smartphone display. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026 That distinction matters in a case involving absent or severely abnormal kidneys and bladder, such as the one described in an August Gwen Faulkenberry column. — Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026 Weather matters more than duration Don't get carried away with duration at the expense of clear skies. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026 But those previously mentioned four skills where superhuman performance could suffice to kill all humans (hacking, persuasion, planning and coordination, uninterpretable reasoning) mean that generalization matters only so much. — Geoffrey Irving, Time, 3 Oct. 2026 That distinction matters because AI can separate learning from its original source. — Kelvin Cheema, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 This matters beyond technology because XLK is by far the largest sector within the SPX. — Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 27 Sep. 2026 As the days get shorter and natural light becomes more limited, the lighting in your home matters more than ever. — Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2026 In a 30-minute vlog sharing highlights of the trip, Doncic was asked what matters to him now that didn’t five years ago. — Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for matters

Noun

Using private dollars to remake Crandon touches on a number of sensitive political and financial topics for Miami-Dade.

— Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
The shop carries a small but curated selection from around the world focusing on topics like art, design, theory, hybrid works, fiction and poetry.

— Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of topics

Noun

After things go awry in the Congo, the family in The Poisonwood Bible dissolves readily.

— Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
In some ways, things have changed considerably for Reid over the last year after the television adaptation of her 2019 novel, Heated Rivalry, became a cultural phenomena.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 4 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

Here are a few of the critical problems the mathematicians identified.

— Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
An election security expert, Ben Adida, told the board Thursday the state had already taken steps to reduce risks to the voting system and that a software update days ahead of a major election could cause bigger problems.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of problems

Verb

Yet, despite these extraordinary advances, the brain still holds countless mysteries, with much more left to learn and discover and optogenetics has given us a powerful means to take on these challenges.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 5 Oct. 2026
What this means, in practical terms, is that the songs on Beat elevate mood above structure.

— Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of means

Noun

Typically, financial advisors who specialize in working with retirees can help with investing, portfolio distribution, Social Security, tax planning, Medicare, long-term care and estate planning, among other issues.

— Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Common issues include grief, divorce or exploring childhood trauma.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 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