doorman
Americannoun
-
doormen
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of doorman
Explanation
A doorman's job involves being stationed near a door, to monitor the entrance and hold the door for people as they come and go. Fancy hotels and apartment buildings usually have a doorman. The doorman at the hotel where you're staying in New York might call a cab for you, or take your suitcase and find a bellhop to carry it to your room. The presence of a doorman can make a building feel more elegant, and also safer — one of a doorman's jobs is keeping an eye on things and providing security. In the UK, a doorman is also called a porter.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
My doorman pulled me to the side — he just said, ‘Hey,’ and pointed to his heart.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
In the lyrics, the star namechecks her then-roommate Martin Burgoyne, the club's doorman Haoui Montaug, and actress Debi Mazar, one of Madonna's oldest friends, who she first met at the club.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
“A lot of people have anxiety, and rightfully so,” said Ali Nikovic, a doorman at a building just off Fifth Avenue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
“Later, he covered her rent and furnished her apartment in a doorman building in the West Village.”
From Slate ● Nov. 19, 2025
The doorman scratched his head under his hat, thinking.
From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin
Uniformed doormen greet guests at the entrance, while chandeliers, fireplaces and classic architectural details reinforce the hotel’s historic character.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
She was his logistics coordinator: booking flights to New York and letting Tower doormen know who was allowed up to the penthouse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026
The comedian’s new building also offers a wide variety of amenities for its residents, including 24-hour doormen and concierge service, a gym, play areas, and proximity to some of Manhattan’s most sought-after tourist attractions.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 15, 2026
Others are frequenting pricey stores such as Ralph Lauren, where doormen hand out hot chocolate and a cashmere-silk necktie sells for $250.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2025
I made it “Doorman2i5,” because there were already 214 doormen.
From "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
