Definitions

heart of the matter

NOUN

nitty-gritty

Synonyms

STRONG

basics core essence focus fundamentals gist heart kernel meat quintessence reality root soul substance

WEAK

bottom line brass tacks chief part chief thing cold fact essential details essential part hard fact important matter meat and potatoes name of the game nuts and bolts the facts the name of the game

Antonyms

STRONG

exterior exteriority outside surface

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.

And then — the heart of the matter — curate a vibe.

From Salon

"We have to overlook those comments and remarks and focus on the heart of the matter which is the humanitarian crisis," he added.

From Barron's

At the heart of the matter are credit-card interchange fees, which merchants pony up when shoppers pay with plastic.

From Barron's

Her dissenting opinions cut through to the heart of the matter.

From Slate

The larger issue at the beating heart of the matter is that this is a very cumbersome method of seeking accountability.

From Slate