Definition of gatekeepernext
as in janitor
a person who tends a door those who are hopelessly unhip have little chance of making past the club's gatekeeper and his velvet rope

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of gatekeeper Our choices are not old gatekeepers or infinite algorithmic slop. Hank Green, Time, 7 May 2026 And yet our screening system still revolves around smoking history as the primary gatekeeper. Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2026 Named for his grandfather, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro has for more than a decade acted as part bodyguard, part gatekeeper to Cuba’s most powerful living figure, always just feet away when Raúl Castro appears in public. Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026 Creators can now speak directly to their fans, without the bottleneck of gatekeepers. Caitlin White, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gatekeeper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gatekeeper
Noun
  • The story centers on Zha, a janitor at a bankrupt, long-shuttered film studio who retreats into a virtual world, cultivating an online romance and dreaming of a voyage to the Moon.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 May 2026
  • After an embarrassing encounter — Wells, working as a janitor, stumbles upon Graham naked in the locker room — the two make an arrangement.
    ABC News, ABC News, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Globally, the brand has seen a 37 percent year-over-year increase in business, supported by strong wholesale partnerships with retailers including Net-a-porter, Moda Operandi, Mytheresa and Selfridges.
    Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 13 May 2026
  • To provide nutrition for them, offer nectar-producing blooms such as zinnias, porter weed, lantanas, Turk’s cap, shrimp plant, Mexican honeysuckle and pentas.
    Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gatekeeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gatekeeper. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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