overtly
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of overtly
Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; see origin at overt, -ly
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.
As a chaplaincy trainee, I entered the hospital expecting to encounter ritual in overtly religious settings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
That begs the question: How much responsibility does a filmmaker have to take a clear stance in their work, especially in a film that is overtly intended to be a lightning rod for heated debate?
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
This isn’t a surfable wave, and it wouldn’t be overtly noticeable to swimmers or boaters either.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
“These nebulous and overtly conjectural allegations do not come close to knitting Ganieva, Harris, and Rubenstein together in any solid or coherent way in concerted acts towards a common end,” the judge wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
His mother was becoming increasingly bold and overtly antagonistic; it was becoming impossible to control her.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
