Searching for Acronyms
Search for acronyms using quick lookups, advanced filters, and typo correction
Searching for Acronyms
Finding the right acronym is at the heart of define.wtf. Whether you need a quick lookup or want to explore detailed results, search is built to be fast and forgiving.
The Command Palette — Your Fastest Path
The command palette is the quickest way to search. Press Cmd+K on macOS or Ctrl+K on Windows/Linux.
How It Works
- Your recent searches appear first
- Start typing — suggestions appear instantly
- Navigate with arrow keys, select with Enter
- Close with Escape
What You Can Search
- Acronyms (the term itself, e.g., "OKR")
- Definitions (what they mean)
- Categories (filter by department)
- Tags (find related terms)
Quick Examples
| Search Term | Result |
|---|---|
OKR | Exact match |
obj | Suggestions for matches |
okr | Also finds "OKR" (case doesn't matter) |
engineering | All acronyms tagged for that department |
The Full Search Page
For more detailed exploration, use the dedicated search page:
- Click Search in the main navigation
- Or press Cmd+K, type a term, and click "View all results"
Advanced Search
Use these techniques to refine your search:
| What You Type | What Happens |
|---|---|
API documentation | Both terms must appear |
"API first" | Exact phrase match |
API OR GraphQL | Either term works |
API NOT REST | API but not REST |
microservice* | Matches "microservice", "microservices", etc. |
The results are ranked by relevance — the best matches appear first.
"Did You Mean?" Suggestions
Typo? No problem. If your search finds nothing, the system suggests corrections ranked by how similar they are to what you typed:
No results for "ACPI"
Did you mean?
- AMQP
- APIClick a suggestion to jump to that acronym.
Recent Searches
Your recent searches stay with you:
- Last 10 searches appear at the top of the command palette
- They follow you across devices
- They clear when you log out
To view recent searches: just open the command palette and look at the top.
Search Tips
Partial Matches with Asterisks
Use * to find partial matches:
*API* → Finds "API", "REST API", "GraphQL API"
REST* → Finds "REST", "RESTful"Filter by Category
Click a category pill on the search page or browse page to narrow results:
Search: "API"
Filter by: Engineering
→ Shows only "API" in engineeringSort Results
On the search page, sort by:
- Relevance (default) — Best matches first
- Newest — Recently added
- Most Voted — Community favorites
- Trending — Popular this week
Search History
Define.wtf remembers your searches for one week. Clear them anytime in your profile settings.
Troubleshooting Search
My acronym doesn't appear in search results
- It may be archived (still viewable but marked as outdated)
- Check if you have permission to view it (some are team-restricted)
- Try a partial search:
*OKR* - Scroll or sort to find it
Search results don't look right
- Try the "Did you mean?" suggestions if you misspelled something
- Try an exact phrase search:
"API documentation" - Filter by the right category to narrow down
- Use advanced search:
API NOT GraphQLorAPI AND documentation
Can I search in Slack?
Yes! Use the /define command:
/define OKRThis searches the same dictionary and shows the definition in Slack.
Next Steps
- Ready to add new acronyms? See Adding Acronyms
- Want to explore all acronyms? Check out Browsing
- Learn more about voting on Definitions & Voting
- See Keyboard Shortcuts for faster searching