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
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.
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
Some young people are now being more overt on their dating profiles, revealing their faces and personal details including names, interests and universities attended.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026
This may have been the most overt art-as-protest moment, showing dancers climbing sparking electrical poles, only to fall off and dangle by what looked like snipped wires.
From Salon • Feb. 9, 2026
The Oppenheimer case left Lawrence with a horror of overt dabbling in the security politics of the time.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
