the substance or substances of which any physical object consists or is composed

the matter of which the earth is made.

physical or corporeal substance in general, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous, esp. as distinguished from incorporeal substance, as spirit or mind, or from qualities, actions, and the like.

something that occupies space.

a particular kind of substance

coloring matter.

a situation, state, affair, or business

a trivial matter.

an amount or extent reckoned approximately

a matter of 10 miles.

something of consequence

matter for serious thought.

importance or significance

decisions of little matter.

difficulty; trouble (usually prec. by the )

There is something the matter.

ground, reason, or cause

a matter for complaint.

the material or substance of a discourse, book, etc., often as distinguished from its form.

things put down in words, esp. printed

reading matter.

things sent by mail

postal matter.

a substance discharged by a living body, esp. pus.

Philosophy .

that which by integrative organization forms chemical substances and living things.

Aristotelianism . that which relates to form as potentiality does to actuality.

Law . statement or allegation.

Printing .

material for work; copy.

type set up.

Christian Science . the concept of substance shaped by the limitations of the human mind.

to be of importance; signify

It matters little.

Pathology . to suppurate. ?

a matter of life and death

something of vital or crucial importance.

as a matter of fact

in reality; actually; in fact

As a matter of fact, there is no substance to that rumor.

for that matter

as far as that is concerned; as for that

For that matter, you are no better qualified to judge than I. Also, for the matter of that.

no matter

regardless or irrespective of

We'll never finish on time, no matter how hard we work.

it is unimportant; it makes no difference

No matter, this string will do as well as any other.

noun

nothing , nothingness , zero , insignificance , meaninglessness

noun

amount , being , body , constituents , corporeality , corporeity , element , entity , individual , material , materialness , object , phenomenon , physical world , protoplasm , quantity , stuff , substantiality , sum , thing , affair , bag , business , circumstance , episode , event , goings-on , incident , job , lookout , nub , occurrence , proceeding , question , shooting match , situation , subject , topic , transaction , undertaking , argument , context , focus , head , interest , motif , motive , point , purport , resolution , sense , subject matter , substance , text , theme , burden , consequence , content , core , extent , gist * , import , importance , magnitude , meat , moment , neighborhood , note , order , pith , range , tune , upshot , vicinity , weight , complication , distress , grievance , perplexity , predicament , to-do * , trouble , upset , worry , discharge , infection , maturation , purulence , pus , suppuration , ulceration , materiality , copy , corporality , elements , embodiment , essence , manuscript , significance

verb

affect , be important , be of value , be substantive , carry weight , count , cut ice , express , have influence , imply , import , involve , make a difference , mean , mean something , signify , value , weigh , affair , be of importance , business , concern , content , difficulty , discharge , issue , maturate , obstacle , problem , source , subject , suppurate , text , thesis , topic , trouble , waste , worry