gatekeeper
noun
gate·keep·er
ˈgāt-ˌkē-pər 
1
: one that tends or guards a gate
2
: a person who controls access
Synonyms of gatekeeper
Examples of gatekeeper in a Sentence
those who are hopelessly unhip have little chance of making past the club's gatekeeper and his velvet rope
Recent Examples on the Web
Americans are still the gatekeepers [in Hollywood], and there are some people who do not want the dominant narrative about this region to be challenged.
—
Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Jan. 2026
Shirley’s experience could only happen in today’s media and political environment – where seemingly anyone can go viral, helped along by social media gatekeepers like Musk.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
Concern over antisemitism on the right has split the conservative world in two—and GOP gatekeepers have lost the ability to contain it.
—Suzanne Schneider, The New York Review of Books, 21 Dec. 2025
Your first step is to file a motion for permission to file a complaint given the gatekeeper order.
—Wendy Hickey, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gatekeeper
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Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Jan. 2026
Shirley’s experience could only happen in today’s media and political environment – where seemingly anyone can go viral, helped along by social media gatekeepers like Musk.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
Concern over antisemitism on the right has split the conservative world in two—and GOP gatekeepers have lost the ability to contain it.
—Suzanne Schneider, The New York Review of Books, 21 Dec. 2025
Your first step is to file a motion for permission to file a complaint given the gatekeeper order.
—Wendy Hickey, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gatekeeper
Cite this Entry
“Gatekeeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gatekeeper. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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.
E. A. Halm et al.Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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