You can solve this by adding scare quotes or the phrase “so to speak”. E.g., “That brand of dip is full of ‘chemicals’, so to speak.” That way, you’re safe from pedants without intruding on the existing meaning of the word “chemicals”.
You can solve this by adding scare quotes or the phrase “so to speak”. E.g., “That brand of dip is full of ‘chemicals’, so to speak.” That way, you’re safe from pedants without intruding on the existing meaning of the word “chemicals”.