If you use a word and people think you’re making fun of them, they’re going to respond negatively. Not because of what the word “means” but because of how it’s used.
If you use a word and your audience think it sounds like the kind of thing that people who hate them say, they’re going to respond negatively. Not because of what the word “means” but because of who you sound like when you use it.
Language does lots of things. It doesn’t just say what you mean. It also says who you think you are, whom you’ve been listening to, how you understand your audience, etc.