big deal

noun

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of big deal

: something of special importance

what's the big deal?

—sometimes used ironically as an interjection

See big deal defined for English-language learners

Examples of big deal in a Sentence

The party was a big deal.
The cost didn't seem like much to me, but I know it was a big deal for many people.

Recent Examples of big deal from the Web

So to be able to check that off the list and have Mobil 1 on the car, that was a really big deal.

— drew davison, star-telegram, "Why an unfiltered Kevin Harvick is so confident returning to Texas Motor Speedway | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 6 Apr. 2018
That means next year April 20 is going to be a big deal in Massachusetts with an influx of out-of-state residents flooding in to celebrate.

— christopher muther, BostonGlobe.com, "Stop and smell the holiday as 420 celebrations grow around the US," 5 Apr. 2018
Hard times Donte DiVincenzo could not have been a bigger deal in 2015: a senior who led Salesianum to its first state basketball title as a junior, already committed to Villanova, the No.

— marcus hayes, Philly.com, "Villanova star Donte DiVincenzo found solace from two Fathers | Marcus Hayes," 4 Apr. 2018
Those rules will be a big deal to some companies, said Michael Mundaca, the co-director of Ernst & Young’s Washington National tax practice and a former top Treasury Department tax official.

— lynnley browning, Bloomberg.com, "Tax Law Quirk Could Help Apple and Microsoft Lower Their Bills," 3 Apr. 2018
This was a big deal in Ukraine, but a relatively obscure issue for most of the rest of the world.

— zachary fryer-biggs, Vox, "Alexander van der Zwaan is going to jail for lying to Mueller’s Russia probe," 3 Apr. 2018
Holidays are a big deal in Miley's home: St. Patrick's Day had her dancing around in a green Care Bears onesie among party decor including a leprechaun, a rainbow and a pot of gold.

— ashley iasimone, Billboard, "Miley Cyrus Goes Pinup-Girl Glam, Gets Spanked by the Easter Bunny in Whimsical Easter Videos," 1 Apr. 2018
For city kids, most of whom do not swim and have never been on a small boat and have been brought up to be afraid of the rivers, this is a really big deal.

— david karas, The Christian Science Monitor, "In Philadelphia, students get a chance to build boats – and launch them," 28 Mar. 2018
This is a very big deal, and it should be taken seriously.

— amy dickinson, Detroit Free Press, "Women MBA candidates are subjects of offensive list," 22 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'big deal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of big deal

1915

BIG DEAL Defined for English Language Learners

big deal

noun

Definition of big deal for English Language Learners

: something that is very important

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big deal

Definition of big deal

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BIG DEAL Defined for English Language Learners

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