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Discover how to ensure your Python script only identifies a specific word in a text using `Regex`. Avoid false matches with our detailed guide!
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How to Use Regex to Find an Exact Word in Python

When working with text data, you may come across situations where you need to extract or identify specific words from a larger body of text. Sometimes, however, using just the in keyword can lead to unexpected results. For instance, if you want to find the word word5 but inadvertently match similar terms like word5555, it can lead to incorrect classifications in your results.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to modify your existing Python script so that it only identifies the exact word you’re looking for. By utilizing Regular Expressions (Regex), you’ll learn how to refine your searches and get accurate results.

Understanding the Problem

Consider the Python script you already have:

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As described, the script is intended to find 'word5' in the Description field and classify it appropriately. However, there's a catch: if the data contains word5555, it incorrectly categorizes it as Classe2.

The Solution: Using Regex

To resolve this issue, we can use Regular Expressions (Regex). Regex allows for more precise searches, enabling you to specifically look for entire words rather than substrings.

Step-by-step Solution

Import the Regex Library
Begin by importing the regex module, which is essential for pattern matching:

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Modify the Search Condition
Replace your current checks for item.lower() in df["Description"][i].lower() with a regex search that restricts results to whole words only:

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In this code:

The \b syntax denotes a word boundary, ensuring that only the whole word is matched.

re.escape(item) safely includes the word without accidentally altering its meaning through special regex characters.

Example of Regex in Action

Here's how you can implement the regex search with an example string:

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In this scenario, the only_word5 will successfully return a list containing only word5 and will ignore word5555.

Conclusion

By incorporating Regular Expressions into your Python script, you've now equipped it to accurately classify text based solely on complete word matches. With this method, you’ll avoid the common pitfall of substring matches that can complicate data processing.

Next time you’re working with text data that requires precision, remember the power of regex! Happy coding!