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asshole

American  
[as-hohl] / ˈæsˌhoʊl /

noun

Vulgar.

  1. anus.

  2. Slang.

    1. a stupid, mean, or contemptible person.

    2. the worst part of a place or thing.

adjective

  1. Slang. stupid, mean, or contemptible.

asshole British  
/ ˈæsˌhəʊl /

noun

  1. slang the arsehole See arse

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of asshole

1350–1400; Middle English arshole anus; see ass 2, hole

Explanation

Asshole is a vulgar (dirty) slang word. Besides the literal meaning, it’s a common word for a jerk or idiot. If you call someone an asshole, they're probably doing something not just stupid and annoying, but mean. Like all slang words and obscenities, this is a word you need to be careful about using. Saying asshole in class, in a paper, at a job interview, or even on television could get you in serious trouble. If you’re not alone with your buddies, stick to a safer word like jerk or doofus.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In an age of uncertainty, Reddit’s Am I the Asshole? forum exists to tell it to us straight.

From The Guardian • Oct. 22, 2020

Ever since Bob Sutton wrote The No Asshole Rule, there's been a pretty broad movement underway to eradicate dysfunctional jerks from the workplace.

From Inc • Mar. 21, 2013

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.