Definitions

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

The tone was matter-of-fact, direct, resolute, but moments of fear crept in.

From Slate • Feb. 11, 2026

“I’m an old man and it’s taken me too long to connect the dots,” he says with a matter-of-fact sorrow.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Generative AI chatbots and tools can be prone to generating false or misleading information, often stating this in a very matter-of-fact, convincing way.

From BBC • Jan. 8, 2026

He studies in his apartment, and occasionally up at one of the libraries at Columbia, learning about the matter-of-fact aspects of his profession: electricity, materials, lateral forces.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

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!