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Fiddling with 10 slippery Janus words

A Janus word, also known as a contronym, is a word with two opposing meanings. But if you want to be a jerk about it, you can build a sneaky almost-definition that holds both meanings true at once—which is what I did here.

Yay! Cognitive dissonance as a grammatical exercise.

1: Overlook: non-omnipotent views

2: Fine: not intimidating for the very rich

3: Fast: incorrectly assumed of the young and lean

4: Trip: an adventure across unexpected horizons

5: Wicked: often pertaining to the goings-on in Salem, MA

6: Sanction: to sort out what’s allowed

7: Fresh: not yet bruised

8: Sick: a diagnosis made by the arrogantly discerning

9: Strike: a move that can resolve a conflict

10: Custom: fashions decided by authority

Nerd Note: The “better” and “worse” labels apply to subjective connotations; words, like people, aren’t ever *inherently* bad (despite what the prudes say).

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Lynna Burgamy

Update: 2024-12-04