Polite synonyms for "a——hole-ish" behavior
Are there any polite synonyms for asshole-ish behavior? A good synonym would probably have about the same impact and wouldn't send people looking for their dictionaries.
Contemptible behavior or base behavior convey contempt without vulgarity. But I think it will be impossible to quite satisfy your requirement for a word with “about the same impact”. I doubt that vulgarity can be matched for impact by anything but blasphemy – and that only when your audience is religious.
While I don’t use that word myself, like most profanity, its meaning is not very precise. It is used to mean many different things which is only sometimes informed by the context. I’ve seen (or heard) the word used to mean all of the following.
- arrogant
- mean-spirited
- hateful
- rude
- self-centered/self-absorbed
- condescending
- inconsiderate
- intolerant
- self-promoting (especially at the expense of others)
- stingy
- greedy
- argumentative
- hurtful
- abrupt, forward, or tactless in speech