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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The inclusion of overtly political messages in federal agency communications raised immediate alarm bells for some federal workers and ethics experts. Shannon Bond, NPR, 30 Sep. 2025 If that faith becomes troubled, and decision-makers outside of academia start weighing in more overtly, that will put new pressures on old fields. Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2025 The Clone Wars was an epic show, and, in many ways, carried some of the most poignant and overtly political moments of the whole franchise. Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025 Working closely with schools, says Mosseri, can help the platform handle issues that may fly under the radar, such as a user who isn't overtly harassing another. Anna Halkidis, Parents, 26 Sep. 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 8 Oct. 2025.

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