big deal

[big deel] / ˈbɪg ˈdil /

NOUN

something or someone important

Synonyms

WEAK

VIP big cheese big enchilada big fish big gun big shot big wheel biggie bigwig boss boss man head honcho hotshot important person top dog tycoon very important person

ADJECTIVE

impressive

Synonyms

STRONG

big-league big-time hotshot significant substantial

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It wouldn’t have been a big deal if that had been all—Daniel was a lizard and therefore basically untrippable—but Kevin pushed.

From Literature

In ninth grade, I was cast as Helen Keller in “The Miracle Worker,” which was a big deal for a freshman.

From The Wall Street Journal

He told Salon that the case before the court “could be a very big deal.”

From Salon

It’s a big deal, particularly for a market that has largely cooled to American films.

From Los Angeles Times

After receiving the award, the boy said: "Even to this day, I don't see it as a big deal but from other people's perspective it is."

From BBC