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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gatekeeper
The government is the gatekeeper for defense contractors’ wares while sales to foreign militaries flow through the Pentagon.
—
Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
Blocking these gatekeepers disrupted the effects of TNF-α and meth on dopamine neurons.
—Habibeh Khoshbouei, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026
Shirley’s experience could only happen in today’s media and political environment – where seemingly anyone can go viral, helped along by social media gatekeepers like Musk.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
Your first step is to file a motion for permission to file a complaint given the gatekeeper order.
—Wendy Hickey, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gatekeeper
Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
Blocking these gatekeepers disrupted the effects of TNF-α and meth on dopamine neurons.
—Habibeh Khoshbouei, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026
Shirley’s experience could only happen in today’s media and political environment – where seemingly anyone can go viral, helped along by social media gatekeepers like Musk.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
Your first step is to file a motion for permission to file a complaint given the gatekeeper order.
—Wendy Hickey, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gatekeeper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gatekeeper
Noun
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Asked about the City Hall janitor layoffs at an unrelated Tuesday news conference, Johnson pointed to the forceful demands by his City Council opponents for even steeper cuts during budget negotiations.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
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One of the most powerful donations came from a Black janitor named James Tillman, who donated his entire life savings of $1,000.—
Ernest Crim III,
CBS News,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Brave Pullman porters carried the Chicago Defender with coverage of the funeral on trains headed south from Chicago, sparking outrage and igniting a movement.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
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When it’s paired with a chocolatey porter, the combination is divine.—
Jay R. Brooks,
Mercury News,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gatekeeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gatekeeper. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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