keeper

noun

keep·​er ˈkē-pər 

1

: one that keeps: such as

a

: protector

b

: gamekeeper

c

: warden

d

: custodian

e

chiefly British : curator

2

: any of various devices for keeping something in position

3

a

: one suitable for or worth keeping: such as

(1)

: a fruit or vegetable that keeps well

(2)

: a fish large enough to be legally caught and kept

(3)

: one having genuine or lasting merit

their new album is a keeper

b

: a domestic animal considered with respect to how easy it is to care for

an easy keeper

4

: goalkeeper

5

: an offensive football play in which the quarterback runs with the ball

Synonyms of keeper

• custodian
• guardian
• guard
• warden

Examples of keeper in a Sentence

Hold on to that boyfriend of yours—he's a keeper!

how should I know where she is? I'm not her keeper

Recent Examples on the Web

Evans looks like a keeper after a solid rookie season. —Mike Kaye january 12, Charlotte Observer, 12 Jan. 2026

Photos, Videos, Journals, and Scrapbooks While old photos, journals, handwritten notes, and other personal archives may not mean much to you at the time, check with family members to see if anyone wants to be the keeper of memories. —Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 8 Jan. 2026

The Marquette kid Kolek — more and more of a keeper, a wonderful old expression used by an old Marquette coach named Al McGuire — had five assists in 14 minutes. —Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026

Their 2025 first-round selection (right tackle Armand Membou) looks like a keeper. —Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing keeper

• park-keeper

Rhymes for keeper

• beeper
• cheaper
• creeper
• deeper
• reaper
• sleeper
• steeper
• sweeper
• beekeeper
• bookkeeper
• doorkeeper
• gamekeeper

Kids Definition

keeper

noun

keep·​er ˈkē-pər 

: one that keeps

they are keepers of their word

especially : a person who watches, guards, or takes care of something or someone

the keeper of a shop

Legal Definition

keeper

noun

keep·​er

: one that takes care of and often is legally responsible for something

a dog's keeper

a keeper of the property