overt

adjective \ ō-ˈvərt , ˈō-(ˌ)vərt \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Definition of overt

: open to view : manifest

overt hostility

overt symptoms of the disease

overt discrimination

both overt and covert military action

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overtly

adverb

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overtness

noun

See overt defined for English-language learners

See overt defined for kids

Recent Examples of overt from the Web

Even if the one-sided Jerry Springer quality has become less overt, Nunberg’s interactions with Mueller remain a compelling part of the ongoing review of Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

— olivia nuzzi, Daily Intelligencer, "Sam Nunberg on What Happens When Mueller Wants to Dig Through Your Phone," 7 June 2018
Over time, his politics have become yet-more overt, and his filmmaking tricks have become more familiar—two trends that converge in the noble mediocrity of Pose.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Pose and the Uncapturable Brilliance of the Ballroom," 7 June 2018
Choices of fashion, furniture, and hairstyle serve as a whole form of communication, subtle and overt.

— richard lawson, HWD, "Why L.G.B.T.-Centered TV Is Stuck in the Past," 30 May 2018
While the comparison between the Colonies and the Prayvaganza weddings is its most overt occurrence, pre-Gileadean religion has been a subtle motif this season of The Handmaid’s Tale.

— refinery29.com, "The Subversive Role Of Religion In The Handmaid's Tale," 16 May 2018
The memo states that the decision to spy on Page was based on a dossier written by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, who Republicans claim had an overt anti-Trump bias.

— chelsea bailey, NBC News, "Trump tweets memo ‘totally vindicates’ him in Russia inquiry," 3 Feb. 2018
Managers must focus as much effort on catering to politicians as to customers, not just through campaign contributions but through bribes, both subtle and overt.

— sendhil mullainathan, New York Times, "When the President Takes On Amazon, Nobody Wins," 18 May 2018
Wahlberg himself is not known for making political statements, overt or otherwise.

— lisa gutierrez, kansascity, "Don't blink or you'll miss Eric Greitens' book in new Mark Wahlberg movie | The Kansas City Star," 16 May 2018
They are not yet indoctrinated into the performance of the system; their powers of perception and inclination to question has not yet been eroded by years of bumping up against oppression both subtle and overt.

— danielle tcholakian, Longreads, "The Manipulative Power of ‘You Understand’," 14 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'overt.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.