---
title: "Synonyms in the search"
url: "https://support.acendy.com/en/article/new-article-b3058430-65f0-4790-bb00-1af811deeffa"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2026-09-30T09:56:11.651Z"
---

# Synonyms in the search

> **⚠️ Beta**  
> The new search is in beta. Currently, Mystore enables this for your store. Contact support if you want to try it.

Customers do not always use the same words that you use in the product texts. With synonyms, you teach the search that two words mean the same, so that the customer gets matches regardless of which word they type.

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## How to get there

Go to **Settings › Search › Synonyms**. On the left, you add new rules. On the right, you see the rules you have created.

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## Add a synonym

**1.** Enter the word the customer searches for in **When a customer searches for**

**2.** Enter what the word should be treated as in **Treat it as**. You can enter multiple words, separated by commas.

**3.** Select **Direction**: two-way or one-way. See the explanation below.

**4.** Click **Add rule**

The rule takes effect in the search after a short time. You do not need to rebuild the search index.

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## Two-way or one-way?

| Direction | What happens | Use it when |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Two-way** | The words are equivalent. A search for one word also finds the other | The words mean the same, for example "wetsuit" and "neoprene suit" |
| **One-way** | Only the word on the left is rewritten. A search for the word on the right is not affected | The word on the right is broader than the word on the left |

An example of one-way: A search for "neoprene" should find suits. A search for "suit" should not pull in neoprene gloves. In that case, you create the rule "neoprene" → "suit" as one-way.

If you are unsure, choose two-way.

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## Rules that are not accepted

The search rejects some rules to avoid strange results:

| Error message | Why | What you do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Fill in both the search term and what it should be treated as** | One of the fields is empty | Fill in both |
| **The search term and what it should be treated as cannot be the same word** | The rule points to itself | Choose another word |
| **A rule already exists for that search term** | You have created a rule for the word before | Delete the old rule and create a new one |
| **This search term is already the target of another rule** | Rules cannot be chained (A → B and B → C) | Have both words point directly to the same target, for example A → C and B → C |

Case does not matter. "Wetsuit" and "wetsuit" are considered the same word.

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## Synonym rules

The table **Synonym rules** shows all the rules, with the newest at the top.

| Column | Content |
| --- | --- |
| **Customer searches for** | The word the customer writes |
| **Treated as** | The word or words the search also looks for |
| **Direction** | Two-way or One-way |
| **Hits (30 d)** | Shows **new** for rules you have just added. The count of hits will come later |

Click on the trash can to delete a rule. A rule cannot be edited. If you want to change it, delete it and create a new one.

The rules apply in the search window, on the search results page, and in the search field on the category pages, in all languages in the store. They do not apply when the customer searches for an exact phrase in quotation marks.

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## Tips

-   Create synonyms for common spelling mistakes and dialect words. The search does not correct spelling mistakes on its own, so "barnevågn" only yields hits if you have created a rule for it.
-   Brand names and technical terms are good candidates. The customer writes "joggesko", while you call it "løpesko".
-   Synonyms only apply when the new search is turned on.