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

But, the key to a disturbing View cohost costume is not measurable in overt terror. —Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 28 Oct. 2024

Both experiments have been proposed, although mercifully not performed, overt cruelty and gruesomeness having mostly faded from favor in academic circles. —Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024

Some employees identified overt hostility from their bosses in the form of shouting, throwing items, or sending aggressive emails and WhatsApp messages. —Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 25 Oct. 2024

But even that latter overt connection is in the service of a gag more than any real canon-building. —James Grebey, TIME, 25 Oct. 2024

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

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