calling a spade a spade

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.

“When you’re dealing with so much power, not speaking, not calling a spade a spade, makes you weaker, makes us more vulnerable.”

From Washington Post • Mar. 2, 2021

I don’t think it’s fair to penalize anyone for calling a spade a spade, as inelegant as their calls may be, but I do think it’s fair to speak up.

From Slate • Jun. 10, 2019

But if the end result is the same -- well, I'm perfectly willing to calling a spade a spade.

From Scientific American • Mar. 17, 2018

That may feel right and there’s nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade.

From Salon • Nov. 27, 2016

Philip, too, according to Plutarch, is entitled to the fatherhood of an adage which retains its ancient fame about "calling a spade a spade."

From The Scrap Book, Volume 1, No. 4 June 1906 by Various