From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishas a matter of factas a matter of factspoken used when adding more details about what you have just said ‘Have you had many visitors yet?’ ‘No, as a matter of fact you’re the first.’ I knew him when we were in college – as a matter of fact we were on the same course. → matter-of-fact → matter
Examples from the Corpus
as a matter of fact• As a matter of fact, I have the woman's name written down somewhere.• And, as a matter of fact, the U. S. Golf Association was delighted.• The wife of a prominent banker, his own banker as a matter of fact, said the banker liked mashed potatoes.• You know as a matter of fact there is nothing as old as crookedness.• Saw her awhile back at the Community Theater, as a matter of fact.• Yes, it seemed to, as a matter of fact.• It rained all weekend, as a matter of fact, and on the Monday morning I got a shock.• Well, as a matter of fact, I heard he's still going out with Julie.• We all were, as a matter of fact.• I like almost all women, as a matter of fact. 