as near as matters

English

Etymology

An illogical formation, perhaps by confusion with "as near as makes no odds" or similar.

Phrase

as near as matters

1. Close enough not to matter, or to be essentially the same.
   • 1954, Fredric Brown, Martians, Go Home:

     As near as matters, three billion people would be hearing him. And, as near as matters, one billion Martians.

   • 1986, Ernest LePore, Truth and Interpretation, page 253:

     What is needed to distinguish the two is the fact that it really was Esa rather than Twin Esa who figured appropriately in the etiology of Arabella's inner state. And that is as near as matters to saying that the truth-condition rather than the 'narrow' conceptual role is the vehicle of learning.