Meaning & use
a big deal
Last updated
Meanings
nounsingularinformal
Something important, impressive or worth making a fuss about.
Grammar: Often follows be or make: it is a big deal; don't make a big deal of it.
Patterns
- make a big deal of something
- be a big deal
Winning the regional prize was a big deal for our small school.
Getting a driver's license is a big deal for most teenagers.
It's not a big deal if you are a few minutes late.
nouncountablebusiness
A very large business agreement or contract.
Grammar: Countable: they signed a big deal.
Patterns
- sign a big deal
The company signed a big deal with a European supplier.
Landing a big deal changed the startup's future.
Common combinations
- make a big deal of
- Please don't make a big deal of my birthday.
- no big deal
- Don't worry, it's no big deal.
- a really big deal
- The concert is a really big deal in this town.
- what's the big deal
- What's the big deal about a small delay?
Synonyms and how they differ
- important matter
- Important matter is more formal and does not carry the casual feel of a big deal.
- fuss
- Fuss highlights unnecessary excitement, whereas a big deal can be sincerely important.
- milestone
- A milestone marks a key step in progress, so it is narrower.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: a big deal or a great deal?
a big deal vs a great deal
A great deal means a large amount, as in 'a great deal of money', and is not about importance.
Practice
Your friend is nervous about a small mistake. What could you say to calm them?
Choose one answer.
No big deal means it does not matter. The other options either increase the worry or are not idiomatic.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a big deal”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.