gatekeep
/ˈɡeɪt.kiːp/verb, noun
gatekeep is spelled G-A-T-E-K-E-E-P: 8 letters. It appears about once in every 39 million words in written English, the 191,932nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, gatekeep means “To control or limit access to something” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in gatekeep?
| Letters | 8: G-A-T-E-K-E-E-P |
|---|---|
| In writing | about once in every 39 million words; the 191,932nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is gatekeep?
Gatekeep appears about once in every 39 million words in written English, the 191,932nd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce gatekeep?
- /ˈɡeɪt.kiːp/
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-gatekeep.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of gatekeep
- gatekeeps present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- gatekeeping participle, present
- gatekept participle, past
- gate-keep
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does gatekeep mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To control or limit access to something.
- 2
To limit (sometimes manipulatively, rather than directly) how much of a role another party, often a spouse, has in some task.
- 3
To limit another party's participation in a collective identity or an activity, usually due to undue pettiness, resentment, or overprotectiveness.
noun
- 1
A gatekeeper.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Gatekeep in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| Portuguese | porteirar , porteirador, porteiradora, porteiradore |
| Spanish | portero |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does gatekeep come from?
From gate + keep, as back-formation from gatekeeper.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).