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

• janitor
• porter [chiefly British]

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

Many YouTube creators view the studio executives as gatekeepers, the old guard that once held sway over what got made and what didn’t. —Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025

As the genres have grown in popularity, the gatekeepers have continued to tighten their parameters — but the truth is, experimentation is what makes rock music in all its forms… rock. —Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2025

For years, people have relied on agents as the gatekeepers of information. —Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025

The idea didn’t make it past the gatekeepers; Spain’s federation and FIFA both shot it down. —Asli Pelit, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for gatekeeper

• beekeeper
• bookkeeper
• doorkeeper
• gamekeeper
• goalkeeper
• housekeeper
• innkeeper
• minesweeper
• peacekeeper
• shopkeeper
• storekeeper
• timekeeper

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.