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

But in hindsight, the team’s overt desire to get younger made the move somewhat inevitable. —Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 13 May 2025

American cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church described the historic papal conclave that concluded this week as relatively easy, with no arm-twisting or overt politicking. —Elizabeth Dias, New York Times, 10 May 2025

This was the voice of Suzanne Vega, a singer with little in the way of vocal dynamics or overt flourish, just a diction of great clarity and control. —Emma Madden, Vulture, 9 May 2025

This is in spite of direct and overt policy support from the White House, institutional buy-in and support of cryptoassets, and a regulatory shift to a pro-crypto position. —Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 3 May 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