Janus-faced

adjective

ˈjā-nəs-ˌfāst How to pronounce Janus-faced (audio)
Definition of Janus-facednext
as in double
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express there was a Janus-faced quality to the interview: for all of the smiling and nodding, the interviewer's body language expressed deep boredom

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for Janus-faced
  1. double
  2. fake
  3. lip
  4. strained
  5. hypocritical
  6. superficial
  7. hollow
Adjective
  • If Messi is the main focus of England’s attention, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has to contend with the double threat of Bellingham and Kane.
    — James Robson, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
  • Blorian, 26, captained Hapoel Be’er Sheva to an Israeli cup and league-title double last season.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026
Definition of double
Adjective
  • Ify’s box contains a fake $100 bill, but Catherine decides to keep her box.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 July 2026
  • Judges around the country have seen a rise in threats of violence and intimidation, including a fake swatting call to police about Barrett’s home in May.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
Definition of fake
Adjective
  • Likewise, lip masks designed to be worn overnight can provide improved hydration and comfort over daytime treatments.
    — Caroline Reilly, Forbes.com, 25 Mar. 2026
  • On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tatianna points to cinnamon as a conductor of heat—one commonly used in lip plumper products to achieve a sultry pout.
    — Essence, Essence, 23 Nov. 2025
Definition of lip
Adjective
  • But things between Harry and his older brother, Prince William, reportedly remain strained.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 15 July 2026
  • Increasing Spanish costs for defense, such as building forts and training militia, led to higher taxes and strained local economies.
    — Lindsay Schakenbach Regele, The Conversation, 13 July 2026
Definition of strained
Adjective
  • Or means that any comments are supposedly hypocritical.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026
  • Earlier this month, Matsui’s campaign came after Vang for taking corporate donations from Sacramento-area businesses during her city council campaigns, implying that Vang’s vows to not accept money from corporate PACs in her congressional bid is hypocritical.
    — Mathew Miranda June 4, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
Definition of hypocritical
Adjective
  • Ferrell, Henchy and David Gordon Green all previously worked on Eastbound & Down, a sports comeback series with enough superficial similarities to underline how toothless The Hawk and especially its characters are.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2026
  • Screenings are inconsistent or superficial, resulting in a lack of follow-up for people with problematic drinking.
    — Isabella Cueto, STAT, 14 July 2026
Definition of superficial
Adjective
  • In the second year, a hollow stalk with purple spots grows 5 to 10 feet tall.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • However, most other teams’ fall rosters were already filled by then, Elschot said, making these promises seem hollow and unrealistic.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of hollow
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

janitors
Janus-faced
japan
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Cite this Entry

“Janus-faced.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Janus-faced. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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