matter-of-fact

ADJECTIVE

realistic, unembellished

Synonyms

STRONGEST

deadpan down-to-earth factual pragmatic sober stoic unvarnished

WEAK

apathetic calm cold cold-blooded dry dull earthy emotionless feasible flat hard-boiled impassive impersonal lifeless mundane naked objective phlegmatic plain practical prosaic prosy serious stolid unaffected unidealistic unimaginative unimpassioned unsentimental

Antonyms

STRONGEST

excited unreasonable

WEAK

emotional histrionic imaginative lively

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.

In her own matter-of-fact way, Grohl shrugs as she acknowledges the inescapable pressure of her last name.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

Most of the stories are matter-of-fact, and Bertei avoids the absolute worst consequences for a while before she can’t outrun it any more.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

Mr. Herzog, who with his intensely dramatic yet dryly matter-of-fact vocal stylings lends the feature his typically scintillating narration, follows him on a journey to Namibia and Angola in search of the ghost elephants.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

Any conversation she does have about her work are matter-of-fact and brief, she said.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

And Jo gave a disdainful shrug as the rest laughed at Laurie’s matter-of-fact tone.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Vocabulary lists containing matter-of-fact

"Birches" by Robert Frost

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Unit 2, Words to Know

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Neutral Tones

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!