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.

The Trump Administration can rely on intellectual spade work from Sen. Roger Wicker, and many of the ideas we’ve discussed here are in the next defense authorization bill.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025

"Let's call a spade a spade," Celine Imart, the French member of the parliament who led the initiative was quoted by AFP news agency as saying about plant-based products.

From BBC • Oct. 8, 2025

The investment firm thinks Tesla will manage through its Musk-related branding problems and its stock will rebound, but it calls a spade a spade.

From Slate • Mar. 4, 2025

While there, Saavedra admitted in his plea agreement, he got a tattoo on his left ankle of the “unofficial logo” of the Lakewood station: a spade with the number 13 inside of it.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 18, 2025

Wintergreen sneered obnoxiously, resting his filthy GI shoe on his spade and lounging back in a surly slough against the wall of one of the deep, square holes it was his military specialty to dig.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller