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

• doorkeeper
• doorman
• 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

Part of the fixation on cultural algorithms is a product of the insecure position in which cultural gatekeepers find themselves. —T.m. Brown, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2024

Today, similar skepticism surrounds digital publishing platforms, yet these platforms are creating new opportunities for writers to reach massive audiences without traditional gatekeepers. —Damion Taylor, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

These blood vessels and surrounding brain cells are fortified to serve as gatekeepers that allow only some molecules in and out of the brain and keep invaders, especially larger ones like bacteria, out. —Yasemin Saplakoglu, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024

At the same time, Israeli filmmakers say their projects are being deliberately excluded on the festival circuit by gatekeepers, some of whom have signaled support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement on social media. —Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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.