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Google Search Tips: Search operators

More search operators

Operator Description Examples
*

Whole word wildcard

  • Searches for a missing word in a phrase search.

"Thomas * Edison"

  • Returns results:
    • Thomas Edison
    • Thomas A. Edison
    • Thomas Alva Edison
"Obama voted * on the * bill"
~

Synonyms

  • Searches for a specified keyword and words that are similar to that word.
  • Adding a plus sign before a word disables synonyms.

~neuroscience

  • Returns results:
    • neurophysiology
    • neurobiology
    • brain
    • neurology

"SciFinder Scholar" ~tutorial

  • Returns results:
    • SciFinder Scholar help
    • SciFinder Scholar guide
    • SciFinder Scholar documentation
...

Range search

  • number...number

Find laptops that cost $250 to $500.

$250...$500 laptops

Find laptops with screen sizes between 14 and 17 inches.

14inch...17inch laptops

Find milestones in science that took place between 1910 and 1920.

"science milestones" 1910...1920
allintext:

Searches for multiple words in the body of the search result.

  • Begin the query with allintext:
  • There is no space between allintext: and the following word.
  • Google will restrict the results to pages that have all the query words in the body of the document.
  • Do not use a phrase search with the allintext: operator; use intext:

Find help for email fraud in Microsoft Outlook.

allintext:microsoft help fraudulent email
allintitle:

Searches for multiple words in the title of the search result.

  • Begin the query with allintitle:
  • There is no space between allintitle: and the following word.
  • Google will restrict the results to pages that have all the query words in the title of the document.
  • Do not use a phrase search with the allintitle: operator; use intitle:

Find information about the Toyota auto recalls.

allintitle:Toyota recall
allinurl:

Searches for multiple words in the url of the search result.

  • Begin the query with allinurl:
  • There is no space between allinurl: and the following word.
  • Google will restrict the results to pages that have all the query words in the document url.
  • Do not use a phrase search with the allinurl: operator; use intext:

Find help for Microsoft Vista.

allinurl:microsoft help vista
define:

Searches for definitions of words from various web sources. The operator can be used with or without the colon.

  • Use the operator in the form define: and the results are restricted to a list of definitions.
  • Use the operator without the colon, define, and the results are broadened to include definitions as well as other relevant pages.
  • Use define if more than one word is entered in the query. The definition will be for the entire phrase as typed.

define:combinatorics

define passive voice

filetype:

Restrict your search to a specific file type.

  • There is no space between filetype: and the following word.
  • Look here for a list of filetypes returned in a Google search.

Find PDF Federal tax forms.

IRS tax forms filetype:pdf

intext:

Searches for a single word or phrase in the body of the search result.

  • There is no space between intext: and the following word.
  • Google will restrict the results to pages that have the query word or phrase in the body of the document.

Find help for email fraud in Microsoft Outlook.

help site:microsoft.com intext:email intext:fraudulent

Find funding opportunities provided by the Society of Neuroscience.

allintext:grants funding intext:"Society of Neuroscience"

intitle:

Searches for a single word or phrase in the title of the search result.

  • There is no space between intitle: and the following word.
  • Google will restrict the results to pages that have the query word or phrase in the title of the document.

Find information about the use of robots in the production of Toyota vehicles.

assembly line robots intitle:Toyota

Find information about RSS feeds provided by the MIT Libraires.

intitle:"MIT Libraries" intitle:"RSS feeds"

inurl:

Searches for a single word or phrase in the url of the search result.

  • There is no space between inurl: and the following word.
  • Google will restrict the results to pages that have the query word or phrase in the url of the document.

Find information about Periodic Table ipad apps from Apple.com

ipad apps intext:"periodic table" inurl:www.apple.com

 

phonebook:

Displays phonebook listings. Results may vary depending on whether the search is performed in Google phonebook or Google Web.

  • phonebook: search for business and residential listings.
  • bphonebook: search for business listings only.
  • rphonebook: search for residential listings only.
  • Queries can be entered in various ways:
    • first name (or first initial), last name, city
    • first name (or first initial), last name, state
    • first name (or first initial), last name, area code
    • first name (or first initial), last name, zip code
    • last name, city, state
    • last name, zip code
    • phone number, including area code
  • Searching by the first initial may result in false information. Most entries include first names spelled out. When in doubt, search by last name only.
  • Adding city and state information is optional.

Find a business or residential listing in Massachusetts for Smith.

phonebook:smith ma

Find a residential listing for Tim Beaver.

rphonebook:tim beaver

Find a listing for a pharmacy in Maryville, MO.

bphonebook:pharmacy maryville mo

stocks:

Displays the current stock quote.

stocks:ticker symbol

  • Search for ticker symbols here.

Find the current stock quote for Lockheed Martin.

stocks:LMT

[ B. D. Owens Library ] B.D. Owens Library | 800 University Dr. Maryville, MO 64468 | 660.562.1193 [ Twitter ] [ Facebook ] [ Instagram ] [ Spotify ] [ Pinterest ]
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