big deal!

INFORMAL
This page is about the conversational phrase big deal!

Meaning

You can say this to show that you think something isn't important or impressive.

For example

  • When Gloria said she'd been to France, her nasty friend Lucy said, "Big deal! Everyone's been to France."

  • My sister was really jealous when Rafael asked me out. All she could say was, "Big deal!"

Note:
When used literally, "big deal" means an important event (as in "graduating from university's a big deal") or an important business deal (as in "it's the first big deal we've done"). But when used as an interjection in conversation, it becomes ironic or sarcastic and shows that the speaker isn't impressed by something, or wants others to think that he or she isn't impressed by something.

Quick Quiz

When I told him I got the job, my brother said, "Big deal!" He

a. was impressed

b. wasn't impressed

c. wasn't important
a) was impressed b) wasn't impressed c) wasn't important

Contributor: Matt Errey