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
  • Robinson scored a career-high 27 points to lead the Horned Frogs (3-0) to a 100-92 double overtime victory against the Warhawks (1-3).
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Nov. 2026
  • An investigation is underway after a woman was killed and a man was hurt in a double shooting Tuesday on Detroit's east side.
    — Julia Avant, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of double
Adjective
  • Now, Mirren swoops in with her (actually fake) knife and rather un-murderously uses it to cut the (also fake) Sunday roast on the table.
    — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 12 Nov. 2026
  • This cursed meeting is a rebuttal to the PR relationship claims, but doing it on-camera kind of undoes the intended purpose and makes the whole thing seem even more fake.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 12 Nov. 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
  • That decision left the financially strained athletic department staring at a buyout of roughly $50 million.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The relationship between LaLiga and Real Madrid is beyond strained—see Tebas’ Nazi comments as an example—but on this two agreed that everyone involved had to bend the knee.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of strained
Adjective
  • The fine was controversial to begin with, as fans and pundits pointed out the NFL’s business with beer sponsors such as Bud Light and called the sensitivity over the celebration hypocritical.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In his appeal, Juszczyk also argued that fining players for pretending to drink beer was hypocritical given the NFL’s beer sponsorships.
    — Rick Maese, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of hypocritical
Adjective
  • Chinese diplomats steered the discussion away from risks for hours and declined to even explain China’s own AI regulations beyond a superficial overview, despite having technical experts from the relevant agencies in the room.
    — DANIEL REMLER, Foreign Affairs, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Happily Ever After endings with something equally superficial.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of superficial
Adjective
  • Andrew’s head snapped forward, his eye blurred in a burst of flesh and bone, the hollow filling with blood as a bullet tore through his head.
    — Ron Farina, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The center holds, but only because the whole structure is hollow, carries no weight.
    — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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