gatekeeper

noun

gate·​keep·​er ˈgāt-ˌkē-pər How to pronounce gatekeeper (audio)
1
: one that tends or guards a gate
2
: a person who controls access
gatekeeping noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 See All Example Sentences for gatekeeper

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gatekeeper was in 1572

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gatekeeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gatekeeper. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

gatekeeper

noun
gate·​keep·​er -ˌkē-pər How to pronounce gatekeeper (audio)
1
: a person who tends or guards a gate
2
: a person who controls access

Medical Definition

gatekeeper

noun
gate·​keep·​er -ˌkē-pər How to pronounce gatekeeper (audio)
: 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 enrolleesE. A. Halm et al.

More from Merriam-Webster on gatekeeper

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