overture

1 of 2

noun

over·​ture ˈō-vər-ˌchu̇r How to pronounce overture (audio)
ˈō-və-,
-chər,
-ˌtyu̇r,
-ˌtu̇r
1
a
: an initiative toward agreement or action : proposal
b
: something introductory : prelude
2
a
: the orchestral introduction to a musical dramatic work
b
: an orchestral concert piece written especially as a single movement in sonata form

overture

2 of 2

verb

overtured; overturing

transitive verb

1
: to put forward as an overture
2
: to make or present an overture to

Examples of overture in a Sentence

Noun The government has made a significant peace overture by opening the door to negotiation. the parade down Main Street served as the overture for a weekend of fun and festivities
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
His overtures have been rebuffed over the years, but his efforts continue. George Petras, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025 So far, though, Biden’s overtures have fallen flat, NBC News reported. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025 Trump sees Greenland's vast mineral wealth and existing U.S. military base as being of strategic importance as the Arctic region opens up and increasingly comes into play in the geopolitical arena, but both Nuuk and Copenhagen have rebuffed those overtures. Astha Rajvanshi, NBC News, 12 Mar. 2025 There is a nascent independence movement in Greenland, and Trump’s overtures have fuelled it. Louise Bokkenheuser, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overture

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, literally, opening, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *opertura, alteration of Latin apertura — more at aperture

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overture was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overture. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

overture

noun
over·​ture
ˈō-və(r)-ˌchu̇(ə)r,
-chər
1
: an opening offer : proposal
the enemy made overtures for peace
2
a
: a musical composition played by the orchestra as the introduction to an opera or musical play
b
: a piece of music in the style of an overture for concert performance

More from Merriam-Webster on overture

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