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
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.
The Trump administration has made the border a zone that is overtly hostile to human rights and displays utter disregard for the humanity and dignity of people on the move. Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025 The fact that the threat is domestic rather than Russian overtly serves the narrative’s logic: If the Kremlin were responsible for Zero Day, the powers of the commission wouldn’t matter for George’s moral dilemma. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025 There’s just as much documentary woven into the overtly fictional sequences—for starters, the documentation of cultural history. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025 The remarks rarely veer into overtly political territory. Kellen Browning, New York Times, 18 Feb. 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 3 Mar. 2025.

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