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
  • Rooms Faraway Sag Harbor has 67 guest rooms and suites, including a handful of lofts with double-height ceilings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The brand’s Exceptional Extraits generated more than 25 percent of sales and rose more than 80 percent, while sales from the Essence Collection, from a double-infusion process, were up more than 260 percent.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of double
Adjective
  • Carmella is also still mad at Vicki for saying that Danny is raising her kids, and Heather is angry after learning that Vicki called her fake in Palm Springs.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • All are alleged to have sent investors fake account statements and communications claiming their investments were either safe and sound or growing rapidly.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 1 Oct. 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
  • Faith and family healing Practical communication strategies can be valuable when relationships become strained.
    — Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • For too long, Washington failed to enforce our immigration laws, and the resulting chaos overwhelmed communities and strained resources nationwide.
    — Don Bacon, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of strained
Adjective
  • And members of these new churches were mostly not the black-dressed, hypocritical, sour-faced, monocultural figures favored by popular narrative, but often included colorful figures who were sometimes surprisingly modern in their desires.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • There is something deeply hypocritical about discovering and using the language of women’s liberation only when your own status, reputation, or income is at stake.
    — Laura Jung, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of hypocritical
Adjective
  • Throughout her career, Madonna has treated beauty as a language rather than a superficial endpoint.
    — Sadie Kargman, Allure, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The parallels between motorsports’ safety revolution and the enterprise AI landscape today are not superficial.
    — Jessica Vitiritti, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of superficial
Adjective
  • Every unfilled titanium lattice sank as water flooded its hollow channels.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2026
  • According to Mason Huddleston, an urban agriculturalist at Oklahoma State University Extension, one of the plant’s most distinguishing features is its smooth, hollow stem, marked with purple or reddish-purple spots.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 18 Sep. 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 2 Oct. 2026.

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