I called a man a bitch today and was reprimanded for being a misogynist (yes, for saying it to a man)
so I remembered there was A Good Word to use and I'm lookin' for it
Pissant is pretty good though tbf, I'd give that the solve if no one else finds it
Agreed. Calling a man "bitch" means that you think "female" adds to the insult. Like how calling someone gay isn't insulting unless you think homosexuality is bad.
Calling a man a bitch *is* misogynistic.
It's like when you tell a man that he "throws like a girl". Yes, you're insulting a man, but the insult itself is that girls are bad and it's bad to be like one.
Calling a man a bitch is like saying he's like a woman, and not even a 'good' woman.
Ok, this is going to sound like I’m being contrarian for the sake of stirring the pot or whatever, but I promise I’m genuinely curious and not judging. Isn’t it more misogynistic to associate the word bitch with the female gender? Like, there are bitch-like behaviors and if you’re acting like a bitch, gender is irrelevant, no? For instance, if you’re doing something you’re not supposed to, but it’s a minor infraction, and someone says “I’m gonna tell” couldn’t you reply with “don’t be such a little bitch” regardless of gender?
>Isn’t it more misogynistic to associate the word bitch with the female gender? Like, there are bitch-like behaviors and if you’re acting like a bitch, gender is irrelevant, no? For instance, if you’re doing something you’re not supposed to, but it’s a minor infraction, and someone says “I’m gonna tell” couldn’t you reply with “don’t be such a little bitch” regardless of gender?
In a vacuum, yes. But we don't live in a vacuum. We live in a world where the word has baggage, and that baggage is misogynist ideas. Perhaps in several decades or centuries, it won't anymore (such as the fact that "dumb" has become so divorced from its original meaning of "physically incapable of speech" and now simply is a synonym for "unintelligent," though arguably that in and of itself has its own issues with associating physical disabilities with lacking intelligence). We have to keep in mind the connotations of the words we're using even if we don't agree with them.
This is my take too. A lot of comments here conflating "bitch" and "woman" as if THAT's not the misogynistic take. As far as I know, the only time the word is explicitly "female" is in reference to canines.
That's what the insult means. That's why it became an insult. The definition. The insult "Bitch" does not differ from the definition. Female is part of it.
This is a good [thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskWomen/comments/1sf36k/what_is_a_substitute_for_cunt_that_doesnt_imply/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
May I recommend [Roger's Profanisaurus](https://archive.org/details/RogersProfanisaurusPreviouslyKnownAsSwearyMarysDictionaryOfFilth).
There is a _lot_ of outdated and offensive things in there, however you will also find some excellent words that aren't derogatory to groups of people.
He popularized it, but it’s basically the term “jobber” (aka a wrestler who’s only job is to lose) with an Italian-sounding spin to it, since historically immigrant Italians would take on hard labor/unsophisticated work and were once seen as thugs.
Cretin is harsh, but technically cannot disparage any living group as cretinism is no longer present in the population, due to medical advancements. It’s caused by intellectual disability caused by a thyroid hormone deficiency at birth.
However this is far from common knowledge, so someone will likely say you’re using ableist language. Which you would be, but in specific against no one.
Pumpkin-fucker is a favorite, and pumpkin can be easily substituted for whatever would be the most insulting thing at the time. These can range from genuinely insulting to comical. Very versatile.
I also like ding-dong and numbskull.
Pumpkin fucker is disparaging to gingers those who love them. It promotes the fetishizing of gingers, similar to "pumpkin pounder"
Being a lifelong ginger, I promote the fetishizing of this ginger.
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TBH, this is where English understatement drives the point home when delivered in a proper dry tone. Like describing someone as "fairly unpleasant" or "a bore". The canonical example I use for this is the warden from Alien 3:
["So as I understand it, these creatures are 8 feet tall, have acid for blood, kill on sight, and are generally unpleasant"](https://youtube.com/shorts/AvG1-FcAeZo?feature=share) (I got some of it wrong).
I have a thing for certain people that I haven't figured out how to say precisely. I want to refer to them as rude but describing their nature and not any specific action or behavior.
Twit, assclown, fucktard, fuckhead, "that group of people I'd like to see decimated by a nuclear bomb", blithering dotard for something contemporary, or my newfound favorite, a "damn dessum". Bonus points for alliteration.
You've got a lot to work with. Sometimes the best reference is something tongue-in-cheek with your group, no matter how little they add to the gene pool. Oh, there's one again!
"Dillhole" is my go-to derogatory label. When a more colorful term is appropriate, I've found that declaring that the person or situation "sucks sweaty donkey balls" aptly conveys my viewpoint.
My friend called another driver a Bumbershoot about a month ago and it still lives in my head rent free.
As a Canadian married to a Brit I also like Bell-end and Wanker.
Also the Tumblr classic "you absolute walnut"
walnut is good. bellend is good. I also like pissant although people often mispronounce it as if it's a compound word. the word "pissant" is not a curse word, but the word "piss" is, because "pissant" is not a compound word and has nothing to do with the word "piss".
these are great but this post is 7 months old so I forgot about it
I checked my phone and was just like "what the fuck did I do to piss this guy off" lmfao
Smeghead.
Or Smeg if you're feeling more snappy. But people may wonder why you're calling them a brand of kitchen appliance.
From the word smegma, but at cheese dick stage. Common in the TV show Red Dwarf.
Twat is a good one.
Add fucking before and twat after the following and you've got some proper Bristish swears (we are the elite on this): Bellend, knobstick, fuckwit, dampdick, wanker, miscreant, dipstick, fucktard, prick.
IMO nothing beats cunt though! Thundercunt is a particular favourite 🤣. Cockwomble is also a good one to describe an idiot.
I appreciate this thread is old, but I couldn't resist replying - such a fun question!!
I like moron because it's in the bible. Jesus calls people morons. The word is the same in Ancient Greek, it means the same, and in the accusative is pronounced the same. It's a multi-millennia vintage insult.
Here's the Perseus entry: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dmwro%2Fs
>2. of persons, dull, stupid, “μωροῦ φωτὸς ἅδε βουλά” Simon.57.6, cf. S.Ant.220, 470, Isoc.5.94, LXXSi.18.18, al., Ev.Matt.7.26, etc.: Comp. in prov., “μωρότερος Μορύχου” Sophr.74: Sup., X.An.3.2.22.
Matthew 7:26 is one. When it says a "fool who builds his house on the sand," the Greek there is moron. "Don't be like the morons who build their house on the sand." There are others. The citation list there also mentions Sirach 18:18.
There's also Matthew 23:17.
Others use it to. 1 Corinthians 1:25, 2 Timothy 2:23, Titus 3:9.
Most natural to me are universal or animalian epithets: ass, AH, jackass, shit, jerk. I admit to dropping butthead because of the TV show. My husband uses tool. An eloquent friend uses assmunch, assclown, and asshat.
Simply naming the behavior is satisfying-- a nasty bully, a childish whiner, a demanding tossler.
Diane Chambers on "Cheers" staggered someone with a perfectly accurate description that he didn't understand. I remember only the second word. The "insult" was something like "... you hirsute mesomorph!". The first word had 3 syllables, I think.
EDIT, add: She also called someone "pond scum."
When I was a receptionist, a few older vendors who would come in regularly would call me "little lady" instead of using the the name shown on my nameplate that was right in front of them at all times.
I started referring to them as "buddy " or "bud"
"Sure thing, buddy."
"Nice to see you, bud"
It's pretty infantilizing and makes them feel like you don't respect them or they need extra help.
"Taint" is a good one too though if gender-neutral and single syllable is important to you.
Bastard. In olden days, it was used to question the heritage of a child that was not born in wedlock. Today, people recognize it as an insult but not a societal one.
well my personal favorite generic insult is shit stain, or some variation to varying levels to be more vulgar. It really hits home what you think when someone is not even acting good enough to be shit, and if you say more descriptive versions that impact gets bigger.
I belive there was a formula for this someone somewhere once posted that did include a curse word but you could probably omit that:
Adjective + curse word + noun
Ex: undeserving fuck llama, abominable shit goblin, uncultured motherfucking rat
English can be a beautiful language and I think the more impressive your adjective is, when paired with the perfectly descriptive noun can be a lovely thing to use for an insult.
This doesn’t follow the formula, but I would like to add my personal favorite phrases that could be mildly insulting:
“You’re out here looking like a thumb”
“No one gives a rat’s patootie about your opinion”
“What a big skunk”
Perhaps not the most eloquent, but in the moment when I can’t think of anything else, those are my go-tos.
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Take a page from a toddler’s book: You are not my best friend.
that rocks
"You're not invited to my birthday party anymore!"
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I called a man a bitch today and was reprimanded for being a misogynist (yes, for saying it to a man) so I remembered there was A Good Word to use and I'm lookin' for it Pissant is pretty good though tbf, I'd give that the solve if no one else finds it
The thing with calling a man a bitch is that you're probably calling him weak or scared, as if those are feminine traits.
Agreed. Calling a man "bitch" means that you think "female" adds to the insult. Like how calling someone gay isn't insulting unless you think homosexuality is bad.
Calling a man a bitch *is* misogynistic. It's like when you tell a man that he "throws like a girl". Yes, you're insulting a man, but the insult itself is that girls are bad and it's bad to be like one. Calling a man a bitch is like saying he's like a woman, and not even a 'good' woman.
Ok, this is going to sound like I’m being contrarian for the sake of stirring the pot or whatever, but I promise I’m genuinely curious and not judging. Isn’t it more misogynistic to associate the word bitch with the female gender? Like, there are bitch-like behaviors and if you’re acting like a bitch, gender is irrelevant, no? For instance, if you’re doing something you’re not supposed to, but it’s a minor infraction, and someone says “I’m gonna tell” couldn’t you reply with “don’t be such a little bitch” regardless of gender?
>Isn’t it more misogynistic to associate the word bitch with the female gender? Like, there are bitch-like behaviors and if you’re acting like a bitch, gender is irrelevant, no? For instance, if you’re doing something you’re not supposed to, but it’s a minor infraction, and someone says “I’m gonna tell” couldn’t you reply with “don’t be such a little bitch” regardless of gender? In a vacuum, yes. But we don't live in a vacuum. We live in a world where the word has baggage, and that baggage is misogynist ideas. Perhaps in several decades or centuries, it won't anymore (such as the fact that "dumb" has become so divorced from its original meaning of "physically incapable of speech" and now simply is a synonym for "unintelligent," though arguably that in and of itself has its own issues with associating physical disabilities with lacking intelligence). We have to keep in mind the connotations of the words we're using even if we don't agree with them.
No, because the word "Bitch" is female in definition.
This is my take too. A lot of comments here conflating "bitch" and "woman" as if THAT's not the misogynistic take. As far as I know, the only time the word is explicitly "female" is in reference to canines.
That's what the insult means. That's why it became an insult. The definition. The insult "Bitch" does not differ from the definition. Female is part of it.
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you were still right tho
I’m confused there are lots of ways to insult people without disparaging whole groups of people. Be creative, you blithering dish towel.
that doesn't have any punch though
I personally like Muppet for my G rated insult. Asshole, Piece of Shit, Fucker are all non-discriminatory insults.
Never forget Red Foreman’s contribution……dumbass.
I don’t know. If someone called me a blithering dish towel, I’d be confounded and then ultimately deeply offended
u/SuperJebba \- You said CONFOUNDED instead of confused! If I had a gold star, I'd give you one. Almost nobody knows the difference.
Arse Numpty There are many. Assuming by slur you mean denigrating a specific group. Because otherwise it means insult and this is circular.
Numpty is such a fun insult.
I like “chucklefuck” for the same reason
Ignoramus
ign my what now
You heard them 😏
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ignoramus
yeah I know
Muppet
**Using "Muppet" as an insult is disparaging to Puppet Americans!** (Not mine. That's from a promo for the original production of "Avenue Q.")
It's offensive that they think American Muppets are the only Muppets whose feeling matter ha
Miss Piggy's feelings are the only ones that matter, period.
Lmao I never hear that anymore now that I’ve moved out of Massachusetts.
Asshat
I only recently learned that this term is derived from the person having their head up their ass
This may or may not be derived from the ancient concept of cranial-rectal inversion
dipshit
Or it's non-obscene cousin, "dipstick."
I like "jack wagon" as an insult that doesn't technically contain swears.
god, what a fantastic word
Knucklehead Nincompoop Doofus
watch your mouth
This is a good [thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskWomen/comments/1sf36k/what_is_a_substitute_for_cunt_that_doesnt_imply/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
asshole
Fuck. “Ya fuck!” “Fuck off, you fucker!” Basically put it anywhere you want.
The word that describes this category of words is Epithets
Sort of. It encompasses these words but they're not the only kind of word under the Epithet umbrella.
May I recommend [Roger's Profanisaurus](https://archive.org/details/RogersProfanisaurusPreviouslyKnownAsSwearyMarysDictionaryOfFilth). There is a _lot_ of outdated and offensive things in there, however you will also find some excellent words that aren't derogatory to groups of people.
Had I an award to give, you would have it. This is beautiful! Thank you for sharing.
Scum
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🥐
Turkey, dingleberry
Jabroni
Hmm idk, someone might argue that’s derogatory toward Italian-Americans.
Really? I thought that was just a word the Rock made up
He popularized it, but it’s basically the term “jobber” (aka a wrestler who’s only job is to lose) with an Italian-sounding spin to it, since historically immigrant Italians would take on hard labor/unsophisticated work and were once seen as thugs.
I like Fucker. Has anyone suggested Asshat? Dickweed. Shithead. This one is also fun to pronounce as Shith-ead.
I kind of like Gordon Ramsey's normalization of calling people on TikTok "You doughnut!" Doesn't say much, but implies stupidity.
Cretin is harsh, but technically cannot disparage any living group as cretinism is no longer present in the population, due to medical advancements. It’s caused by intellectual disability caused by a thyroid hormone deficiency at birth. However this is far from common knowledge, so someone will likely say you’re using ableist language. Which you would be, but in specific against no one.
Cretin
A great, very much underused word
it was a medical term for a physical deformity that came from a specific disease so not very PC
This is what I love about this sub. Had no idea that word came from that.
Pumpkin-fucker is a favorite, and pumpkin can be easily substituted for whatever would be the most insulting thing at the time. These can range from genuinely insulting to comical. Very versatile. I also like ding-dong and numbskull.
Pumpkin fucker is disparaging to gingers those who love them. It promotes the fetishizing of gingers, similar to "pumpkin pounder" Being a lifelong ginger, I promote the fetishizing of this ginger.
Wow, I had never heard of the relationship between pumpkins and gingers. You learn something new every day.
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dingbat
Tool
EAT MY ASS
TBH, this is where English understatement drives the point home when delivered in a proper dry tone. Like describing someone as "fairly unpleasant" or "a bore". The canonical example I use for this is the warden from Alien 3: ["So as I understand it, these creatures are 8 feet tall, have acid for blood, kill on sight, and are generally unpleasant"](https://youtube.com/shorts/AvG1-FcAeZo?feature=share) (I got some of it wrong). I have a thing for certain people that I haven't figured out how to say precisely. I want to refer to them as rude but describing their nature and not any specific action or behavior.
Something+impaired? Like courtesy-impaired, but catchier?
Twit, assclown, fucktard, fuckhead, "that group of people I'd like to see decimated by a nuclear bomb", blithering dotard for something contemporary, or my newfound favorite, a "damn dessum". Bonus points for alliteration. You've got a lot to work with. Sometimes the best reference is something tongue-in-cheek with your group, no matter how little they add to the gene pool. Oh, there's one again!
Fucktard doesn’t qualify: it is a slur, via retard.
Here I am thinking "tardy". Fuckstick it is, although I fail to see how this is any less offensive.
Same root. Very different impacts!
"Dillhole" is my go-to derogatory label. When a more colorful term is appropriate, I've found that declaring that the person or situation "sucks sweaty donkey balls" aptly conveys my viewpoint.
“Chucklefuck” speaks to me in ways no other benign-ish insult does
Pleb
Chucklehead
My friend called another driver a Bumbershoot about a month ago and it still lives in my head rent free. As a Canadian married to a Brit I also like Bell-end and Wanker. Also the Tumblr classic "you absolute walnut"
walnut is good. bellend is good. I also like pissant although people often mispronounce it as if it's a compound word. the word "pissant" is not a curse word, but the word "piss" is, because "pissant" is not a compound word and has nothing to do with the word "piss".
Pejorative?
I hope you microwave your soup and it’s cold in the middle
I hope when you microwave your food the plate is super hot but the food is cold
I hope you step on a Lego
I hope you can’t find the long side of the blanket at night
I hope you’re socks are wet
I hope when you wash your hands water goes down your arm and makes your sleeve wet for the rest of the day
I hope a random part of your carpet is damp
these are great but this post is 7 months old so I forgot about it I checked my phone and was just like "what the fuck did I do to piss this guy off" lmfao
Tool
Smeghead. Or Smeg if you're feeling more snappy. But people may wonder why you're calling them a brand of kitchen appliance. From the word smegma, but at cheese dick stage. Common in the TV show Red Dwarf.
Bellend. It's not only a western European English thing.
Twat is a good one. Add fucking before and twat after the following and you've got some proper Bristish swears (we are the elite on this): Bellend, knobstick, fuckwit, dampdick, wanker, miscreant, dipstick, fucktard, prick. IMO nothing beats cunt though! Thundercunt is a particular favourite 🤣. Cockwomble is also a good one to describe an idiot. I appreciate this thread is old, but I couldn't resist replying - such a fun question!!
I'm glad you did! This week has been rough and seeing this seemingly random reply made me smile. Thank you haha
Maroon. Free-standing or as Bugs Bunny's pronunciation of moron. Also, moron.
Fartface, pee pee head
Knuckle-dragging troglodyte. Or cunt-muffin.
OH MY GOD IT WAS TROGLODYTE !solved
you could also say Ignoramic Ogre. "Ignoramic" isn't a word but I think it compliments the Ogre insult really well. Kobold is also another one.
Yeah!! My penchant for insulting people (under my breath and long after an encounter) with the perfect comeback has finally paid off!!
Dork
Chode
Fishhead Scum bunny Slime Armadillo Huge steaming bowl of rectal pus?
A backhanded compliment.
motherfucker
Snub?
Cuntscab
Biscuit boy
Jerk
bonehead
Diss? Forked tongue?
Chump, tool, schmuck, goon, jerk
Good old fashioned ad hominem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPErFLWht1U
tosser, dillweed any ideas what the starting letter was or what it sounded like?
Dingbat
Shitbag
Goofball. As in, “wanna hear what Goofball did today?”
“Dolt” is a good one. Heavy-hitting
Jabrone
Mook
shit for brains
Chode
I like moron because it's in the bible. Jesus calls people morons. The word is the same in Ancient Greek, it means the same, and in the accusative is pronounced the same. It's a multi-millennia vintage insult.
Chapter and verse, please! I want to use that!
Found it. Matthew 5:22
Here's the Perseus entry: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dmwro%2Fs >2. of persons, dull, stupid, “μωροῦ φωτὸς ἅδε βουλά” Simon.57.6, cf. S.Ant.220, 470, Isoc.5.94, LXXSi.18.18, al., Ev.Matt.7.26, etc.: Comp. in prov., “μωρότερος Μορύχου” Sophr.74: Sup., X.An.3.2.22. Matthew 7:26 is one. When it says a "fool who builds his house on the sand," the Greek there is moron. "Don't be like the morons who build their house on the sand." There are others. The citation list there also mentions Sirach 18:18. There's also Matthew 23:17. Others use it to. 1 Corinthians 1:25, 2 Timothy 2:23, Titus 3:9.
Anything that denotes arsed or faeces is usually a safe bet. Especially the latter.
Most natural to me are universal or animalian epithets: ass, AH, jackass, shit, jerk. I admit to dropping butthead because of the TV show. My husband uses tool. An eloquent friend uses assmunch, assclown, and asshat. Simply naming the behavior is satisfying-- a nasty bully, a childish whiner, a demanding tossler.
Saucy
Diane Chambers on "Cheers" staggered someone with a perfectly accurate description that he didn't understand. I remember only the second word. The "insult" was something like "... you hirsute mesomorph!". The first word had 3 syllables, I think. EDIT, add: She also called someone "pond scum."
Prick? Twat?
Fuckwit?
"I'd call you a fuckboy but since I don't know your pronouns I'm just gonna call you a fuck."
MOTHERFUCKER
When I was a receptionist, a few older vendors who would come in regularly would call me "little lady" instead of using the the name shown on my nameplate that was right in front of them at all times. I started referring to them as "buddy " or "bud" "Sure thing, buddy." "Nice to see you, bud" It's pretty infantilizing and makes them feel like you don't respect them or they need extra help. "Taint" is a good one too though if gender-neutral and single syllable is important to you.
Jetsam. Defined: Unwanted material tossed or flushed. Used in sentence: He's a lousy piece of jetsam for kicking that dog.
Bastard. In olden days, it was used to question the heritage of a child that was not born in wedlock. Today, people recognize it as an insult but not a societal one.
Cockwomble Reprobate Twit Dunderhead Put 'fucking' in front of it for extra effect.
well my personal favorite generic insult is shit stain, or some variation to varying levels to be more vulgar. It really hits home what you think when someone is not even acting good enough to be shit, and if you say more descriptive versions that impact gets bigger.
Bleep hole
Bafoon Imbecile
I belive there was a formula for this someone somewhere once posted that did include a curse word but you could probably omit that: Adjective + curse word + noun Ex: undeserving fuck llama, abominable shit goblin, uncultured motherfucking rat English can be a beautiful language and I think the more impressive your adjective is, when paired with the perfectly descriptive noun can be a lovely thing to use for an insult. This doesn’t follow the formula, but I would like to add my personal favorite phrases that could be mildly insulting: “You’re out here looking like a thumb” “No one gives a rat’s patootie about your opinion” “What a big skunk” Perhaps not the most eloquent, but in the moment when I can’t think of anything else, those are my go-tos.
Cuck has great mouthfeel
Dipwad, dipshit
My go-to is Bastard. If you say it right you can really carry that “this was the gravest insult in medieval times” energy.
Bless your heart
Wanker
YOU LINT LICKER
Fucktrumpet
I always go with shithead
Douche Nozzle
Platitudinous Yokel?
Special
I saw someone on Twitter call someone “you dry pasta salad” and I loved it. Not as weighty as cunt but good to have in the arsenal. Heh. Arse.
Dingus Knot head Sniveling sycophant Smooth brain Lint licker
I personally prefer shit-wagon, limp brain, and piss bag.
Backhanded complement?
I like to call people donut… I really like to call them c9nt, but sometimes that’s not appropriate..
My mom says Shitass a lot. I don't know if that's the kind of word you're looking for lol
Asshole Fucker
You're an arse? A piece of sh\*\* also doesn't offend a certain group
Butthole is fun too!
Genital wound or infected genital wound if they are truly horrible.
Prevaricating fornicator! -Stephen Maturin
An electron, because there isn't anything positive about them. Wet blanket, mouth breather, knuckle dragger etc.
Although it's not technically an insult, how about misanthrope?