That was it vs That's all

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

That was it

Informal Top 2,000 (common)

That's all

Top 2,000 (common)

Most formal: That's all

	That was it	That's all
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //ðæt wəz ɪt// 🇺🇸 //ðæt wəz ɪt//	🇬🇧 //ðæts ɔːl// 🇺🇸 //ðæts ɔl//
Meaning	That was the final thing or moment.	That's everything.
Example	After all the preparations, when the last guest left, I sighed, 'That was it.'	And that's all I have to say about the project.
Register	Informal	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)
Collocations	that was it for now, that was it all along, that was it then	that's all for now, that's all folks, that's all there is
Common mistakes	Used in a formal context., Confused with 'That's it' - means completion., Used without context; needs clarity.	Using it in overly formal contexts., Not using it to close a conversation., Confusing it with 'that's it' in context.
Usage notes	Commonly used to conclude a conversation or situation. Informal in tone; not suitable for formal writing or speeches.	Use in informal conversations to signal the end of a discussion or list. Avoid in formal writing.

See it in real clips

That was it?

That was it. That was the last... That was...

That was it?

That was it. That was the last... That was...

That was it

Breaking Bad › S1 E7

That's it? That's all you got?

Ted Lasso › S1 E1

That's all right.

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

Heh. Boy, that's... That's all we need, huh?

Breaking Bad › S1 E7

That's it? That's all you got?

Ted Lasso › S1 E1

That's all right.

That's all

Frequently asked questions: That was it vs That's all

What's the difference between That was it and That's all?

That was it: That was the final thing or moment. That's all: That's everything.

Which is more formal: That was it and That's all?

That's all is the most formal of these.

Can you show an example of each?

That was it: After all the preparations, when the last guest left, I sighed, 'That was it.' That's all: And that's all I have to say about the project.

Can I use That was it and That's all interchangeably?

Not always. That was it and That's all 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.