Title: Using Multiple Search Terms
Last modified: February 12, 2022

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# Using Multiple Search Terms

 *  Resolved [rzharding](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rzharding/)
 * (@rzharding)
 * [4 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/using-multiple-search-terms/)
 * If I enter multiple search terms (for example, rheumatoid arthritis), Better 
   Search searches posts that have “rheumatoid” or “arthritis”.
 * How do I limit searches so that both terms need to be present?
 * I suspect that I could use Better Search must more effectively if I understand
   how to use AND, OR, NOT in my searches.
 * Can you give me some clues how to do this?
 * Richard
 * The page I need help with: _[[log in](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwordpress.org%2Fsupport%2Ftopic%2Fusing-multiple-search-terms%2F%3Foutput_format%3Dmd&locale=en_US)
   to see the link]_

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

 *  Plugin Author [Ajay](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ajay/)
 * (@ajay)
 * [4 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/using-multiple-search-terms/#post-15359205)
 * Better Search uses a natural language search algorithm of mySQL’s full text feature.
   This means it prioritises posts with both terms and so on automatically.
 * I just tried searching your site and noticed that the first several posts are
   with both terms appear in the title or content.
 * Is there something I’m missing there?
 *  Thread Starter [rzharding](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rzharding/)
 * (@rzharding)
 * [4 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/using-multiple-search-terms/#post-15359261)
 * Greeting Ajay
 * If I type “bovine”, I get 5 pages returned. If I enter “leukemia”, get 2 pages.
   Entering “bovine leukemia”, I receive 6 pages.
 * If I type “caution”, I receive 3 pages. “amsterdam” returns 8 pages and “amsterdam
   caution” returns 10 pages.
 * I want to know how I get the pages that have both search terms “bovine leukemia”
   or “amsterdam caution” NOT either of the search terms.
 * Note: All the search items are entered without quotes.
 * Is there a way of using some form of boolean operators such as AND, OR, NOT (
   or +, -, ~) to refine searches?
 * It would be really good if the number of posts/pages that are returned is displayed.
   I am guessing that it is the theme that displays that information. Is that true?
 * Richard
 *  Plugin Author [Ajay](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ajay/)
 * (@ajay)
 * [4 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/using-multiple-search-terms/#post-15384553)
 * In the settings page you can activate BOOLEAN search mode.
 * Please see here for more: [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/fulltext-boolean.html](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/fulltext-boolean.html)
 *  Thread Starter [rzharding](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rzharding/)
 * (@rzharding)
 * [4 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/using-multiple-search-terms/#post-15385917)
 * Thank you – that is very helpful.
 * Richard
 *  Plugin Author [Ajay](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ajay/)
 * (@ajay)
 * [4 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/using-multiple-search-terms/#post-15391658)
 * You’re welcome!

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

The topic ‘Using Multiple Search Terms’ is closed to new replies.

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 * 5 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Ajay](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ajay/)
 * Last activity: [4 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/using-multiple-search-terms/#post-15391658)
 * Status: resolved