What Is Fuzzy Search?

Fuzzy search is like human intelligence: it's loose but still gets the job done. A fuzzy search is a pretty simple idea, but it's essential. It's a way of applying search algorithms that allow for more leniency than hard-and-fast algorithms would allow. So instead of getting exactly what you're looking for, you get something similar—but maybe not as good? Well, not necessarily. Sometimes fuzzy searches are better than complex searches because they can uncover hidden gems that an overly rigid algorithm would have screened out. A fuzzy search is a great way to find what you're looking for, even if you don't know exactly what it is. It's like when you're at the library, and you can't remember the name of that book you want—you know it was about wizards or dragons or something, but not which one. So instead of searching for "wizards," you search for "wizards OR dragons,"—and then all of the books that contain either word show up in your results. Fuzzy searches are great for finding anything from lost socks to lost friends. Remember: don't be too hard on yourself if your fuzzy search doesn't work! It's not your fault—it's just a matter of context, which is constantly changing and never static. Fuzzy searching is also useful when you've got a fuzzy idea of what you're looking for. For example, say you're trying to translate "blah blah blah" into another language. You don't know what it means, but you know it's essential to the story. You could do a Google search using a keyword tool that offers suggestions as you type, but then you'd have to sift through irrelevant results and manually sort through them to find your target phrase or word. That's no fun! So instead, try using fuzzy searching: type in "blah blah blah", and Google will tell you exactly which words are most relevant to that phrase, so all your hard work can be done for you!