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.
Before, Singh said, citywide politicians engaged South Asian and Muslim voters at Hindu Diwali or Islamic Eid celebrations, usually speaking to a few prominent gatekeepers, often religious leaders or business owners. Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025 Dozens of clips with hundreds of thousands of views imagine figures like Mamdani as the gatekeeper of a future Shambhala. Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 24 Oct. 2025 Enter Kevin Smith, who knows a thing or two about bypassing gatekeepers. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025 In addition, a single company could become the gatekeeper for all digital shopping, with the potential for monopolization beyond even Amazon’s current dominance in e-commerce. Patrick Van Esch, The Conversation, 20 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 27 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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