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

Were China to make overt nuclear threats against Taiwan, then Taipei, too, might consider going nuclear, but China, unlike North Korea, wisely avoids such extreme language. —Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024

The idea is that they are prodded into using generative AI for the overt purpose of argumentation. —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Beyond the overt physical differences—such as the steroidal aerodynamic enhancements, the tattooed race livery graphics, and the massive rear wing—the race version of the 296 feels like an entirely different beast. —Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 17 Dec. 2024

This could entail less overt tactics for peacetime and more aggressive operations in a crisis. —IEEE Spectrum, 16 Dec. 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