overtly

adverb

overt·​ly ō-ˈvərt-lē How to pronounce overtly (audio)
ˈō-(ˌ)vərt-
: in an overt manner : in a way that is open, straightforward, or obvious
an overtly racist remark
an overtly political message
… the fashion of dumbing down the public discourse was over. Being overtly brainy, simply being oneself, was back in style.Elizabeth Drew
In the late 1860's interest gradually waned in landscape paintings that overtly conveyed nationalistic, philosophical, and religious meanings.Franklin Kelly
It is now easier for French writers to write more overtly about the occupation because their country is now stressing reconciliation, forgiveness for whatever wrongs were done then …Barbara Probst Solomon

Examples of overtly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
While other Parisian neighborhoods have grown overtly commercial—think Manhattan’s Meatpacking District 20 years ago versus today—Saint-Germain has retained its independent spirit. Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 Not everything in the invisible city was overtly sinister. Kian Tajbakhsh, The Atlantic, 27 June 2025 The scene comes out of nowhere and emphasizes that Derringer is not Trump while overtly placing one of Trump’s main slogans on the side of the devil. Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025 And yeah, of course, nothing overtly gay is mentioned. Rance Collins, IndieWire, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for overtly

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overtly was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Overtly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overtly. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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