Two-faced

Characterized by deceitfulness, insincerity, and a tendency to behave differently towards people based on their perceived power or influence. A Two-faced person often pretends to be friendly and agreeable to gain favor while harboring ulterior motives or speaking negatively about the same individuals behind their backs. This behavior stems from a lack of genuine integrity and a desire to manipulate situations for personal gain. The term highlights a discrepancy between outward appearance and inner feelings, and can also be called duplicitous or hypocritical.

Two-faced meaning with examples

• Sarah always smiled and agreed with the boss, showering him with praise, but would openly mock his decisions with her colleagues. Her Two-faced behavior earned her the reputation of being untrustworthy. Her colleagues knew her true colors and avoided sharing sensitive information with her for fear of it being used against them later. She ultimately failed to gain any real advancement despite all her efforts.
• Mark was considered Two-faced, complimenting his friends while making disparaging remarks to others. He always made sure to agree with people in power but never stood up for his other friends. During social gatherings he switched his stance with ease. Everyone started questioning his motives. His fickle behavior created a very isolating environment that ended up damaging several relationships.
• The politician's Two-faced approach to policy, supporting one view in public while secretly advocating for the opposite behind closed doors, led to public outrage. Voters lost faith in his authenticity, and it caused his support to drastically reduce. The people he represented could no longer trust his word. It was detrimental to his career, since they saw him for his deceit.
• In the office, James was two-faced; He would act cheerful and supportive to his subordinates while undermining their work to his superiors. His colleagues eventually learned of his deceptive nature and started excluding him from team projects. Nobody wanted to partner with someone who would stab them in the back. His underhanded tactics ultimately backfired when a manager witnessed his behaviour first hand.