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.

Victory at Sea was a big deal in its heyday.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

"It's a big deal for us," Nathan said.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Lower-price cars are critical to sales growth, which is why the R2 is such a big deal for the company.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

And we all know not to make a big deal about that, right?

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2026

“Nah, don’t make a big deal about it. I’m fine,” I respond.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh