High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A dysphemism is an expression with connotations that are offensive either about the denotatum (the object referred to by the linguistic expression) or to the audience, or both, and it is substituted for a neutral or euphemistic expression for just that reason. Like euphemism, dysphemism is sometimes motivated by feelings such as fear and distaste. However, it may also be motivated by hatred and contempt.