Semantic Search: How It Works & Who It’s For

Semantic search is a powerful tool that applies user intent and the meaning of words to find relevant content. It goes beyond keyword matching by using information closely tied to what the searcher wants. Semantic search uses vector search and machine learning to return results that aim to match a user's query, even when there are no word matches. This is different from pure keyword search, which works roughly by matching query words to words in documents. Semantic search can leverage context within text, such as synonyms, and can perform query categorization to ensure only relevant results appear. Ultimately, semantic search aims to help users be successful in completing a task by understanding user intent based on the meaning of queries and content.