Forget it vs That was nothing

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

Forget it

Informal Top 2,000 (common)

That was nothing

Informal Top 2,000 (common)

	Forget it	That was nothing
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //fərˈɡɛt ɪt// 🇺🇸 //fərˈɡɛt ɪt//	🇬🇧 //ðæt wəz ˈnʌθɪŋ// 🇺🇸 //ðæt wəz ˈnʌθɪŋ//
Meaning	Don't worry about it.	It was not important or valuable.
Example	If you didn’t understand, forget it.	When he apologized for being late, I replied, 'That was nothing.'
Register	Informal	Informal
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)
Collocations	forget it all, just forget it, forget it for now	say that was nothing, feel that was nothing, react to that was nothing
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 formal situations where a serious response is expected., Misinterpreting as a compliment rather than downplaying something., Not using correct intonation which can change the meaning.
Usage notes	Use in casual conversations to dismiss something. Not suitable for formal settings or serious topics.	This phrase is used in casual conversations to downplay a situation or response. It's not suitable for formal settings.

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

That was nothing, Mike. Moe didn't mean nothing by that.

That was nothing

Frequently asked questions: Forget it vs That was nothing

What's the difference between Forget it and That was nothing?

Forget it: Don't worry about it. That was nothing: It was not important or valuable.

Can you show an example of each?

Forget it: If you didn’t understand, forget it. That was nothing: When he apologized for being late, I replied, 'That was nothing.'

Can I use Forget it and That was nothing interchangeably?

Not always. Forget it and That was 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.