truth bomb

plural truth bombs

1. informalA blunt, undiplomatic statement of something that is true that others may not want or expect to hear or accept.

   Holding boundaries is the place we often get stuck. So, I'm going to hit you with a truth bomb: boundaries are only seen as selfish to those who benefit from you having poor boundaries.

   2022, Kaitlin Soulé, A Little Less of a Hot Mess

   4 more examples

   Mr Pucinski Mr Chairman, I wonder if you can tell us, Mr Phillips, when the so-called truth bomb started in the Voice of America? Mr Phillips The so-called truth bomb—I am afraid I don't understand. Mr Pucinski Wasn't there a period when you came before Congress to seek appropriations at which time you told Congress that you were going to start a truth bomb and needed appropriations for that purpose? Mr Phillips Do you refer to the campaign of truth? Mr Pucinski You called it the truth bomb. Mr Phillips I believe it was the campaign of truth. I came into the Department in the spring of 1950, and I believe that efforts under that name had started just before then. Mr Pucinski I would like to refer to it as the truth bomb. What was envisioned under that program?

   1952 November 14, “The Katyn Forest Massacre”, in U.S. Congress. House. Hearings, volume 1, page 2261

   Truth bombs are brutal facts without context. […] You can recognize when you are about to send a truth bomb. Remember, something that seems straightforward to you can be very scary to people who don't have enough info or tech knowledge to provide a context or meaning on their own.

   2012, Nancy Lyons, Meghan Wilker, Interactive Project Management: Pixels, People, and Process

   They tend to nurture by telling the truth, sometimes more than most people want to hear. The challenge with this placement lies in learning patience and diplomacy. It's easier to swallow a truth bomb if it comes wrapped in a little kindness.

   2015, Alyson Mead, Astrology Made Simple

   Barrett Marson, a Republican strategist based in Arizona, said that the comment was a “truth bomb” from Mr. Trump, akin to the president’s well-known claim that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue without losing political support.

   2026 May 17, Erica L. Green, “To Critics, Trump Remarks Reveal a Billionaire Out of Touch”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   Synonyms: truth nuke