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 barrage led Israel’s defense minister to overtly threaten Iran’s supreme leader. Israel, meanwhile, struck Iran’s heavy water reactor, part of the country’s nuclear program, which its government insists is meant for peaceful purposes only. Elena Becatoros, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025 Still, the changes breach the core ethos that helped WhatsApp gain popularity and once set it apart from the more overtly data-hungry design of other social platforms. Anisha Sircar, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025 Though my objective portrayals may not appear overtly loving, there is love in the motivation behind them. Lydia Davis, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025 Skarsgård says the creators didn’t set out to make the character overtly neurodivergent in the series. Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 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 1 Jul. 2025.

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