"In spades" means in very large amounts or to a very great degree. The phrase emphasizes that someone or something has a quality in abundance.

Examples

  • "She has talent in spades." She has a great deal of talent.

  • "The movie has charm in spades." The movie is extremely charming.

  • "The project had problems in spades." The project had many serious problems.

"In spades" can describe both positive and negative qualities. Someone can have talent in spades, while a project can have problems in spades.

Where Does "In Spades" Come From?

The phrase is commonly linked to card games, where spades may rank highly or serve as the trump suit. The exact origin is uncertain.

Similar Expressions

Depending on the sentence, you could replace "in spades" with:

  • abundantly
  • in abundance
  • enormously
  • to a great extent
  • and then some

Use "in spades" when you want to stress that a quality or problem is present to an unusually large degree.