askchapo

I agree with the other commenters who say phrases are better.

With single words, for it to have punch it has to be uncommonly used like a slur or a "smart" word.

Slurs aren't an option for obvious reasons and most "smart words" fall short because no one knows what they mean (the exception are words like "ingrate" which vaguely sound like a slur but are actually just "smart words").

Even with phrases, it can be tricky. Quips like "fatherless behavior" are funny even amongst those with a dad sized hole in their heart- but you risk hurting people all the same.

One thing that works for me is to make uncomfortable comparisons:

• My contemporary that watches mass shooting videos a little too often isn't "evil", he's entertained by cannibalism.
• Your coworker isn't a pedo for liking loli, they're someone with an "Epstein-like fascination for little girls".

Being laughed at ostensibly can be worse than being called any slur, I like the above examples because they have a pretty good chance of igniting laughter in a group setting. Getting other people in the room to clown on your target is a quick way to shut them down. And the pain of social ostracization is one that lingers for a long time.