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 Paying homage to a vintage watch was something Rolex never did overtly—if ever—before. Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2024 Many contemporary thrillers are far more overtly gruesome than this one, partly because violence is one way unimaginative directors can put a distinctive spin on otherwise interchangeable material: Cue the artful fountains of arterial spray. Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024 The Gotham City dystopia is an overtly right-wing one, under the reign of President Lex Luthor, with Queebso TV spewing anti-gay rants and promoting Smylex to keep women cheerful for their husbands. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2024 In 2003, the NFL rejected a Super Bowl ad from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority that didn’t overtly mention sports wagering — the city’s image as a gambling mecca was enough. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024 For Ukraine, success will require overcoming opposition from overtly Russia-friendly leaders and also isolationists who think the E.U. club is big enough. Siobhán O'Grady, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024 Since an earlier, sweeping national security law was imposed by Beijing on the city in 2020, many politically engaged artists have either self-exiled abroad or stopped creating works that are overtly critical of China. Stephy Chung, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024 But Bradley was taking this a step further by participating in ministerial functions of an overtly partisan political organization by speaking to and then swearing in its officers. Daniel Bice, Journal Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2024 But while political activism and the ability to discuss topics overtly were both part of Heterodoxy’s overall ethos, most of its members were decidedly left-leaning, and almost all were radical in their ideologies. Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overtly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near overtly

Cite this Entry

“Overtly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overtly. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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