matter-of-fact
/ˌmætər əv ˈfækt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌmætər əv ˈfækt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌma-tər-ə(v)-ˈfakt/ (ame, mw)
matter-of-fact — adjective
1. said or done in a plain, direct way that sticks to the facts and does not reveal
said or done in a plain, direct way that sticks to the facts and does not reveal what someone is feeling
Hiroshi described the car crash in a matter-of-fact voice that surprised everyone in the room.
collocation: in a matter-of-fact voice
The doctor gave Fatima the test results in a calm, matter-of-fact tone.
collocation: matter-of-fact tone
Chen Wei's matter-of-fact email listed the new rules without a single word of greeting.
Priya told us she had lost her job in a matter-of-fact way, without tears or anger.
The fire chief's matter-of-fact report did not mention how close the team had come to disaster.
- unemotional
broader term; does not necessarily suggest a focus on facts
- clinical
suggests cold, professional detachment, often in medical or scientific settings
- deadpan
describes a deliberately flat, humorless way of speaking, often for comic effect
- detached
emphasizes emotional distance; less about factual communication
用法筆記
Almost always used before a noun (a matter-of-fact statement) or after 'in a' (in a matter-of-fact way). The hyphenated spelling is the adjective form; 'matter of fact' without hyphens has a different meaning in legal contexts.