called a spade a spade

A form of call a spade a spade — To put it bluntly, to be outspoken; to speak the truth, to describe things as they really are.

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Meanings

verb
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of call a spade a spade
Cite this entry
APA

called a spade a spade. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/called%20a%20spade%20a%20spade

MLA

“called a spade a spade.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/called%20a%20spade%20a%20spade. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “called a spade a spade,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/called%20a%20spade%20a%20spade.

Source: called a spade a spade on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.