gatekeeper

noun

gate·​keep·​er ˈgāt-ˌkē-pər 

1

: one that tends or guards a gate

2

: a person who controls access

gatekeeping

ˈgāt-ˌkē-piŋ 

noun

Synonyms

• doorkeeper
• doorman
• janitor
• porter [chiefly British]

Examples of gatekeeper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When local cop Indira Olmstead (Moorjani) tries challenging her in a later episode, Lorraine coolly insists that the police exist only to act as gatekeepers for those who are already rich and powerful. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023

In earlier rebuttals, Meta and ByteDance have already argued against gatekeeper status for the services at the core of their appeals. —Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 16 Nov. 2023

And that is how many see critics today — snarling gatekeepers in need of a good kick. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2023

Cerberus was a functional dog, fulfilling its purpose as the gatekeeper of Hades. —Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2023

One positive impact is a more diverse media ecosystem, where a wider array of voices can challenge narratives fashioned by the gatekeepers of traditional journalism. —Taylor Lorenz, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2023

Proponents of changes to the publishing system often argue that traditional academic journals are gatekeepers and that careerism gives scientists incentives to guide their research to fit the tastes of journal editors, who are often older white men. —Evan Bush, NBC News, 26 Oct. 2023

Out of the six gatekeeper companies, all were American—Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft—with the exception of ByteDance, which is headquartered in Beijing. —WIRED, 25 Sep. 2023

Naughten looked at melting gatekeeper ice shelves, which float over the ocean in this area of Antarctica that is already below sea level. —Seth Borenstein, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

gatekeeper

noun

gate·​keep·​er -ˌkē-pər 

1

: a person who tends or guards a gate

2

: a person who controls access

Medical Definition

gatekeeper

noun

gate·​keep·​er -ˌkē-pər 

: a health-care professional (as a primary care physician) who regulates access especially to hospitals and specialists

managed care plans rely on a designated physician gatekeeper to orchestrate and control the health care of its enrollees

—E. A. Halm et al.