What is semantic search?
Semantic search finds results based on the meaning and intent of a query rather than exact keyword matches, usually by comparing embeddings. A search for "can't sign in" can find an article titled "Login troubleshooting" even though the words differ.
Semantic vs keyword search
| Keyword | Semantic | |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | Exact words | Meaning |
| Synonyms | Missed | Found |
| Natural questions | Weak | Strong |
Hybrid search
Many systems combine both: keywords for exact terms like error codes, semantic for meaning.
Uses
Enterprise search, help centers, ticket deduplication and AI agent retrieval.
