adjective
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open to view; observable
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law open; deliberate. Criminal intent may be inferred from an overt act
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of overt
1275–1325; Middle English < Old French, past participle of ouvrir to open < Vulgar Latin *ōperīre, for Latin aperīre
Explanation
Overt means open and done in plain sight. An overt demand for an increase in your allowance probably won't work; instead, try praising your parents' generosity and dropping hints about how high prices are these days. If you speak French, remember that overt is the same as the French ouvert "open." If you don't speak French, give up all hope of ever learning this word. Just kidding — forgive the overt attempt at humor. English speakers, here's your trick for remembering the difference between overt and covert: overt = "open"; covert = "covered."
Vocabulary lists containing overt
The Constitution of the United States
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Vocabulary from the Constitution of the United States
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The Kite Runner
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The charges didn’t explicitly allege that Left made overt false statements, only that his tweeting and trading revealed an intent to manipulate.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
Muslim leaders in the U.S. condemned this as an overt mockery of Islam.
From Salon • Jun. 1, 2026
That distinction between overt and internalised coercion was also referenced by two disabled MSPs – Pam Duncan-Glancy and Jeremy Balfour, both of whom sit as independents and oppose the bill.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
The exhibition brings together Los Angeles artists exploring ideas of memory, community and collective experience — often in quieter ways than Martinez’s overt messaging.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026
The use of videotape in conjunction with systematic observation of children’s overt, physical responses to music: A research model for early childhood music education.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
