the truth of the matter

the truth of the matter

The most basic, fundamental truth of something. I know these regulations are unpopular, but the truth of that matter is that we have to control property prices if we are going to avoid an economic crisis like what we faced in the past. He never shies away from discussing the truth of the matter, even if it means he comes across badly.
See also: matter, of, truth
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

the ˈfact/ˈtruth of the matter

used when you want to show you are being honest, or when you are telling somebody something unusual or surprising: I didn’t take anything, and that’s the truth of the matter. The fact of the matter is that they only got married so she could stay in the country.
See also: fact, matter, of, truth
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • pour honey in (one's) ear
  • Is there any truth to (something)?
  • Is there any truth to?
  • in truth
  • how the cow ate the cabbage
  • grain of truth
  • open (one's) eyes
  • open eyes
  • open one's eyes
  • open someone's eyes
References in classic literature
The truth of the matter was that he was still thinking deeply of the visit of Professor Beecher to Mary Nestor, and wondering what it portended.
But the truth of the Matter is, that on either side of the Temple, there are Rocks that shoot two Miles into the Sea, and wound the Whales when they light upon 'em.
The truth of the matter being that Nikolas Rokoff was so poor a sailor that the heavy seas the Kincaid encountered from the very beginning of her voyage sent the Russian to his berth with a bad attack of sea-sickness.
The truth of the matter was that he had come to suspect the motives of the first mate of the Ithaca, and not knowing of the great chest attributed them to Bududreen's desire to possess the girl for himself.
He would have resented the suggestion profoundly, but the truth of the matter was that Dudley Pickering, after a late start, had begun to play Indians.
That, as I believe, is the truth of the matter, and not what you said at first.
Once more I could not but be astonished at the simplicity of the reasoning which had brought him to the truth of the matter. Certainly this was no big thing; but I think, myself, that the young man will, one of these days, explain with the same simplicity, the fearful tragedy in The Yellow Room as well as the phenomenon of the inexplicable gallery.
What the truth of the matter was I knew not, but certain it was that the coaches were robbed at Dunstable Hill, and #560 in money taken; besides, some of the lace merchants that always travel that way had been visited too.
The truth of the matter was that it was Lawrence who had murdered Alfred Inglethorp with a croquet mallet.
The truth of the matter is that Yego seemed to know his form prior to African Games as he was quoted saying he was targeting a throw of 90m.
Whatever the truth of the matter, it does not reflect well on the government that it is riven by such divisions.
But the truth of the matter is: The council Highways Department does not care, the police do not care, traffic wardens do not care, local councillors do not care and as to Kingdom Services caring yet remains to be seen.
He term the homecoming rally to 'corruption Bachao' rally and adding that Nawaz Sharif can blame the umpires, pitch, the weather or some of the players for what was happened to him but the truth of the matter is he lost badly and the game is over for him.
QUOTES OF THE DAY "The truth of the matter is, those of us in politics, those who care, we are not performing fleas where the ringmaster says 'jump' and we all turn hands up over ourselves.