Forget it vs It's nothing

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Forget it

Informal Top 2,000 (common)

It's nothing

Top 2,000 (common)

Most formal: It's nothing

	Forget it	It's nothing
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //fərˈɡɛt ɪt// 🇺🇸 //fərˈɡɛt ɪt//	🇬🇧 //ɪts ˈnʌθɪŋ// 🇺🇸 //ɪts ˈnʌθɪŋ//
Meaning	Don't worry about it.	It means something is not important or not a problem.
Example	If you didn’t understand, forget it.	When I apologized, she said, 'Oh, it's nothing.'
Register	Informal	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)
Collocations	forget it all, just forget it, forget it for now	it's nothing serious, don't worry, it's nothing, please, it's nothing, it's nothing important, it's nothing to be concerned about
Antonyms	remember it, keep it in mind, never forget	-
Common mistakes	Using in formal contexts where it sounds dismissive., Misplacing it in a sentence, as it stands alone., Confusing it with 'don't worry' which has a different nuance.	Using in a serious context where a more formal phrase is needed., Confusing with 'It's something' which indicates importance., Mispronouncing or emphasizing improperly, making it sound sarcastic.
Usage notes	Use in casual conversations to dismiss something. Not suitable for formal settings or serious topics.	Commonly used in casual conversation to downplay a situation. Avoid in formal writing or serious discourse.

See it in real clips

Forget it. We go any deeper, we just raise the stakes.

Forget it. It's too risky. I'm through doing that shit.

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

And I shall not forget it...

Forget it. We go any deeper, we just raise the stakes.

Forget it. It's too risky. I'm through doing that shit.

Forget it

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

It's nothing.

Chernobyl › S1 E1

Down here it's nothing, but in the reactor building

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

It's nothing.

Chernobyl › S1 E1

Down here it's nothing, but in the reactor building

It's nothing

Frequently asked questions: Forget it vs It's nothing

What's the difference between Forget it and It's nothing?

Forget it: Don't worry about it. It's nothing: It means something is not important or not a problem.

Which is more formal: Forget it and It's nothing?

It's nothing is the most formal of these.

Can you show an example of each?

Forget it: If you didn’t understand, forget it. It's nothing: When I apologized, she said, 'Oh, it's nothing.'

Can I use Forget it and It's nothing interchangeably?

Not always. Forget it and It's nothing are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.