overt

Overt is an adjective meaning expressed or shown openly and plainly, not concealed or secret. It describes actions, attitudes, or phenomena that are readily observable or publicly acknowledged. Etymology: from Old French ouvert “open, exposed,” from Latin apertus, the past participle of aperire “to open.”

In usage, overt contrasts with covert or hidden; phrases such as “overt support,” “overt discrimination,” and “overt aggression” are common. In sociology and political science, overt biases are attitudes that individuals or groups openly profess or display, whereas covert biases are concealed or subtler. In security and military contexts, overt operations are those conducted openly with public visibility, as opposed to covert operations conducted in secret. The term can also be used more broadly to describe any observable, publicly stated phenomenon or position.

Though generally neutral, overt can carry evaluative nuance depending on context. An overt critique, for example, is direct and explicit, whereas a more indirect form of criticism might be described as covert or implicit. In academic and professional writing, overt findings or conclusions are those clearly presented and stated, in contrast to implied or inferred results. See also covert, explicit, and visible.