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
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Operating at the extreme fringes is also an effective strategy for maximizing exposure in the algorithm, which explains why popular influencers such as the Nelk Boys and Jake Paul started their YouTube careers as prank peddlers, before leaning into more overtly political content. T. M. Brown, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2025 Noem’s overtly partisan message may run afoul of the law, legal experts told McClatchy News. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025 Although the satire is pitch black, this film is a lot more overtly comedic than most of your films. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025 The October international window could reveal whether overtly emotional communication between Marsch and his players has an impact on the pitch. Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 10 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2025.

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