From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtell it like it istell it like it isAmerican English to say exactly what you think or what is true, without hiding anything that might upset or offend people Don always tells it like it is. → tell
Examples from the Corpus
tell it like it is• But no one can blame Rush for telling it like it is.• He tells it like it is.• I try to tell it like it is.• She tells it like it is, or seems to. 