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.
Nobody expects “House of the Dragon” to be an educational exercise, or even an overt cautionary tale, any more than “Game of Thrones” was intended to be.
From Salon • Jun. 21, 2026
Tesla has made an overt pivot toward AI, namely humanoid robots and autonomous vehicles, and that transformation now consumes investors’ attention.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
Popes rarely address parliaments, trying to avoid overt political interventions.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
“Fortissimo” dates from two years earlier than “The Pond,” but it has left overt landscape references behind.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 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.
