overt

adjective

ō-ˈvərt  ˈō-(ˌ)vərt 

: open to view : manifest

overt hostility

overt symptoms of the disease

overt discrimination

both overt and covert military action

overtness noun

Examples of overt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Missouri’s map is an overt example of partisan gerrymandering, a term used to describe the practice of redrawing electoral district boundaries to favor one party over another. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025

The unknowns will not stop those who see the assassination as an overt act of left-versus-right violence from feeling like the country is on the brink of a civil war. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025

By 2020, the organization was playing a more overt political role. —Stephanie A, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025

The collection combines the ornate designs and intricate patterns of the Art Nouveau era with the edge and overt defiance of punk culture. —Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from past participle of ovrir to open, from Vulgar Latin *operire, alteration of Latin aperire

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overt

• alert
• assert
• avert
• dessert
• divert
• evert
• exert
• inert
• insert
• invert
• nightshirt
• revert

Kids Definition

overt

adjective

ō-ˈvərt  ˈō-(ˌ)vərt 

: open to view : not secret

overt hostility

overtly adverb

overtness noun

Medical Definition

overt

adjective

ō-ˈvərt, ˈō-ˌvərt also ˈō-vərt

: open to view : readily perceived

overt behavior

overtly adverb