mince words

mince words

To speak vaguely or indirectly. Often used in the negative to convey that one speaks bluntly or tactlessly, without regard for someone else's feelings. A possessive adjective can be used between "mince" and "words." I hate to watch debates, which are really just two-hour marathons of talking heads mincing their words. Wow, your aunt really doesn't mince words. Is my sweatshirt really that ugly?
See also: mince, word
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

mince (one's) words

to soften the effect of one's words. Tell me what you think, and don't mince your words. A frank person never minces words.
See also: mince, word
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • mince words, not to
  • not mince words
  • not mince your words
  • empathize
  • empathize with
  • empathize with (someone or something)
  • come out with
  • come out with (something)
  • not pull any punches
  • ride on coattails
References in classic literature
Simon de Montfort was no man to mince words, and it is doubtless that the old reprobate who sued for his daughter's hand heard some unsavory truths from the man who had twice scandalized England's nobility by his rude and discourteous, though true and candid, speeches to the King.
While it's refreshing to see a Pakistani celebrity who doesn't mince words, Khan does land herself in trouble sometimes like yesterday, when she tweeted about how 85,000 female doctors are not practicing after getting an qualification and it sounded like she was somehow blaming the women for it, like they've chosen to forgo their careers.
Hemsworth did not mince words in telling those who skip workouts.
What is equally significant is that the book does not mince words on the set of situations which welcomed King Mahendra's takeover in 1960 and the difficulties imposed since by internal and external politics in achieving the purposes of the takeover which, never the less, could not prevent the country from achieving so much.
He doesn't like to mince words, which, most of the times, is a praiseworthy trait to have in a person.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah didn't mince words over the weekend, coming out with a loud-and-clear, "My way or the highway," abandoning any attempts at sugarcoating it.
Summary: While the IMF numbers are encouraging for the region, the fund did not mince words on the state of world economy.
When asked how she has managed to deal with expectations of fans, the cross over actress did not mince words; she was blunt in her response.
He did not mince words when approached by the media people and very gracefully and respectably accepted his defeat saying that the people have voted for Imran Khan and he has no complaints whatsoever about the election.
Berkley Corp., is not one to mince words about perceived missteps in the property/casualty insurance industry.
Manzano did not mince words and hit the basher back.
One of the interviewees, Moishe, who performs as Moksha, doesn't mince words when it comes to the specific issues that comes with his life as a queen that performs in Jerusalem.
Corker didn't mince words in his tweet in response: "It's a shame the White House has become an adult day care center."
Canasin sales manager Middle East Ada Lee does not mince words when she talks about owners looking to cut corners, and compromise quality.
All quotes that prove yet again that AB often lives up to the description of the late Livia Soprano, Tony's mom: "She didn't mince words; in between brain and mouth there was no interlocutor."