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

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on Friday the incident and the recent air incursion linked to Moscow show Kremlin plans for covert and overt attacks against Europe to prepare for a possible NATO-Russia war. —Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025

This sustained attack on our cultural institutions creates the conditions for overt acts of censorship. —Andrew Weinstein, Time, 24 Oct. 2025

Both actors seem to be fighting against the overt emotionality of the material by tamping everything down — internalizing, as film actors are supposed to do. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025

The Abzorb 2010 is one of New Balance’s latest models, having just launched this year despite carrying the overt sensibilities of retro runners. —Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 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