substance, matter: matter, affair, thing: a vaguely specified concern; "several matters to attend to"; "it is none of your affair"; "things are going well" topic, subject, issue, matter: some situation or event that is thought about; "he kept drifting off the topic"; "he had been thinking about the subject for several years"; "it is a matter for the police" matter: a problem; "is anything the matter?" matter: (used with negation) having consequence; "they were friends and it was no matter who won the games" matter: written works (especially in books or magazines); "he always took some reading matter with him on the plane" count, matter, weigh: have weight; have import, carry weight; "It does not matter much"