overt

[ oh-vurt, oh-vurt ]

adjective

1. open to view or knowledge; not concealed or secret:

   overt hostility.

   Synonyms: public, apparent, manifest, plain

   Antonyms: private

2. Heraldry. (of a device, as a purse) represented as open:

   a purse overt.

overt

/ əʊˈvɜːt; ˈəʊvɜːt /

adjective

1. open to view; observable
2. law open; deliberate. Criminal intent may be inferred from an overt act

Derived Forms

• ˈovertness, noun
• ˈovertly, adverb

Other Words From

• uno·vert adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of overt¹

1275–1325; Middle English < Old French, past participle of ouvrir to open < Vulgar Latin *ōperīre, for Latin aperīre

Word History and Origins

Origin of overt¹

C14: via Old French, from ovrir to open, from Latin aperīre

Example Sentences

But there’s an overt subtext too that might elevate the movie for those unfamiliar with the show, who had maybe assumed it was a sweet and frothy musical comedy.

From Los Angeles Times

But the film itself steers clear of overt politics, focusing instead on the media’s role in covering real-time crises and shaping public perception.

From Los Angeles Times

Kennedy is an overt anti-vaccination agitator, among his many other pet pseudoscientific positions.

From Los Angeles Times

Already set in motion are cascading toxic effects on social discourse and political dynamics, marked by widening acceptance and promotion of overt bigotries and brandished hatreds.

From Salon

Both sides would want the facility to be seen “as one that is more about capacity building than for any overt military use”, says Prof Harsh Pant, of the India Institute at King’s College London.

From BBC

Related Words

• apparent
• definite
• undisguised