Meaning & use
gatekeeping
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Meanings
noununcountable
The act of controlling who is allowed to join a group or take part in an activity.
Grammar: Uncountable, so it takes a singular verb: gatekeeping is common online.
Patterns
- gatekeeping in something
- gatekeeping by someone
- accused of gatekeeping
Fans complained about gatekeeping in the hobby, saying newcomers were treated badly.
Her gatekeeping kept talented young players out of the team for years.
Some online communities are criticized for gatekeeping who can call themselves a real fan.
noununcountabledisapproving
The act of blocking information or access so that only certain people can get it.
Grammar: Also uncountable; often used with 'media' or 'information'.
Patterns
- media gatekeeping
- information gatekeeping
Media gatekeeping means a few editors decide which stories the public sees.
Critics say such gatekeeping of health data delays important research.
The company's gatekeeping of customer records made the investigation slow.
verbintransitive
Present participle of 'gatekeep': to control access to something or decide who may join.
Grammar: Used as the -ing form of the verb, often after 'is/are': she is gatekeeping again.
Patterns
- be gatekeeping
- gatekeeping a community
He keeps gatekeeping the group chat and removing anyone he dislikes.
They were accused of gatekeeping the festival by rejecting local bands.
Stop gatekeeping and let more people share their ideas.
Word forms
| base form | gatekeep |
|---|---|
| third person singular | gatekeeps |
| past tense | gatekept |
| past participle | gatekept |
Common combinations
- accused of gatekeeping
- The moderators were accused of gatekeeping after deleting many posts.
- media gatekeeping
- Media gatekeeping shapes which voices reach a wide audience.
- cultural gatekeeping
- Cultural gatekeeping can make art scenes feel closed to outsiders.
- stop gatekeeping
- Fans begged the organizers to stop gatekeeping and open the event to all.
- gatekeeping behavior
- The forum banned gatekeeping behavior that mocked beginners.
Synonyms and how they differ
- exclusion
- Exclusion focuses on keeping people out entirely, while gatekeeping stresses controlling who is let in.
- elitism
- Elitism describes a belief in superiority; gatekeeping is the practical act of limiting access.
- censorship
- Censorship is about blocking content, usually by authorities, whereas gatekeeping can be done by anyone.
Opposites
Word family
- gatekeeper noun
- A person who controls access to a group or information.
- gatekeep verb
- To control who is allowed in or what information is shared.
Commonly confused: gatekeeping or gatecrashing?
gatekeeping vs gatecrashing
Gatecrashing means entering an event without an invitation; gatekeeping means controlling who may enter.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'gatekeeping' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Gatekeeping' means controlling who may join, so 'criticized for gatekeeping new members' fits. The first option wrongly suggests holding a door, and the last two use the wrong verb forms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gatekeeping”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.