--- sourceDocument: Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform Administration sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/xanadu/platform-administration Release : - xanadu ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform Administration ft:clusterId : - platadm bundleId : - platadm workflow : - Platform --- # Stop words # Stop words {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Xanadu * * Updated July 16, 2025 * * ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 7 minutes to read Stop words remove search query terms that don't produce meaningful results. Improve search precision and relevancy by configuring stop word dictionaries and defining stop words. Stop words are common terms that appear on a large proportion of indexed records. Examples of such terms can include articles, conjunctions, personal pronouns, and prepositions. By defining these terms as stop words, you can improve search precision and result relevancy for users. You can define stop words in the default stop word dictionary for a search profile, or create your own stop word dictionaries linked to search profiles. Create and publish stop words for each dictionary. Publish the dictionary to make your stop words take effect for searches that use linked search profiles. You can delete stop word dictionaries that aren't linked to any search profiles. ## Stop word usage in search {#stop-words-ais__section_w41_vzq_smb} When a search query includes a term defined as a stop word, AI Search removes the term from the search query. For example, a stop word might remove the term my from a search query for upgrade my laptop. This modified search query only matches records containing the more relevant terms upgrade and laptop. ## Conditions for stop word eligibility {#stop-words-ais__section_uzf_p4x_3nb} To be eligible for removal from a search query's terms, a stop word must satisfy the following conditions: * It must be active. * The stop word dictionary that includes it must be published. * Its length doesn't exceed the [dictionary term-length limit](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Cim4Rf8qhGT64T_dt2XUZA#stop-words-ais__dictionary-term-length-limit-stop-words). {#stop-words-ais__ul_j5f_j2t_qtb} The system locates eligible stop words in stop word dictionaries as follows:{#stop-words-ais__table_swg_bft_qtb__entry__2} | Condition | Result | |-|-| | The search profile specified for the search query links to a published stop word dictionary for the search query's language. | The system only considers stop words from the linked stop word dictionary. As an example, suppose a search application's search profile links to a French stop word dictionary. When a user searches in French in this application, only stop words from the linked French stop word dictionary are eligible for removal from the search query terms. | | The search profile specified for the search query doesn't link to a published stop word dictionary for the search query's language. | The system only considers stop words from the default (English) stop word dictionary. As an example, suppose a search application's search profile has no linked Spanish stop word dictionary. When a user searches in Spanish in this application, only stop words from the default (English) stop word dictionary are eligible for removal from the search query terms. | [ ] {#stop-words-ais__table_swg_bft_qtb} For more details on language support in stop word dictionaries, see [Language dependence](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Cim4Rf8qhGT64T_dt2XUZA#stop-words-ais__stop-word-language-dependence-section). ## Dictionary term-length limit {#stop-words-ais__dictionary-term-length-limit-stop-words} By default, AI Search ignores stop word terms that exceed 256 characters in length. You can override this default limit by adding the query.maxDictionaryTermLength system property. The integer value of this system property indicates the maximum allowable character length for stop word and synonym dictionary terms. For information on adding a system property, see [Add a system property](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r_0P5ICBCd42vTv64UVY9w#t_AddAPropertyUsingSysPropsList "Add or create a property to control system behavior."). Warning: Exercise caution when increasing the dictionary term-length limit beyond its default value. Processing long dictionary terms increases AI Search's memory usage, and in some cases search queries may fail with out-of-memory errors. ## Multi-word phrases {#stop-words-ais__section_qtk_tkt_jrb} A stop word can include either a single word or a multi-word phrase. AI Search removes multi-word phrases from the search query when the query terms exactly match the order and proximity of the phrased words in the stop word definition. If a user searches with these words in a different arrangement, no term removal occurs. For example, the following table describes AI Search stop word removal behavior for a stop word that includes the multi-word phrase retirement account. {#stop-words-ais__table_wwk_rlt_jrb__entry__2} | Search query terms | Stop word removal behavior | |-|-| | my retirement account | AI Search removes the terms retirement account from the search query. | | my bank retirement account | AI Search removes the terms retirement account from the search query. | | my account retirement | AI Search doesn't remove any terms from the search query. | | my retirement bank account | AI Search doesn't remove any terms from the search query. | [ ] {#stop-words-ais__table_wwk_rlt_jrb} ## Case sensitivity {#stop-words-ais__section_rdw_3bg_rmb} By default, AI Search ignores letter case when comparing stop words with search query terms. You can enable case sensitivity for a stop word dictionary. This option affects all stop words defined in the dictionary. When case sensitivity is enabled, stop words in the dictionary only match search query terms or phrases that include the same combination of uppercase and lowercase letters. For example, if you define a RAID stop word in a dictionary with case sensitivity enabled, AI Search ignores the search query term RAID but treats the search query term raid normally. ## Punctuation sensitivity {#stop-words-ais__section_tgh_jbg_rmb} By default, AI Search ignores punctuation when comparing stop words with search query terms. You can enable punctuation sensitivity for a stop word dictionary. This option affects all stop words defined in the dictionary. When punctuation sensitivity is enabled, stop words in the dictionary only match search query terms or phrases that include the same punctuation. For example, if you define a one-half stop word in a dictionary with punctuation sensitivity enabled, AI Search removes the search query term one-half but doesn't remove the search query term one half. ## Language dependence {#stop-words-ais__stop-word-language-dependence-section} Stop word removal is language-dependent. You specify a language for each stop word dictionary, and this language applies to all stop words defined in the dictionary. Stop words from dictionaries with the same language as the search query are eligible for removal. Note: If the search profile specified for a search query has no linked stop word dictionary for the search query language, AI Search uses the default (English) stop word dictionary as a fallback. AI Search supports stop word dictionaries for all languages activated in your instance. For the list of languages you can activate, see [Activate a language](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/JVX9OJGGemU7rGe1QNjBRw "By default, the language supported by the platform is American English. You can activate plugins for other supported languages if you have the admin role."). You can only link one stop word dictionary per language to a given search profile. ## Interaction with other search features {#stop-words-ais__section_p3f_wsy_2nb} The following table describes interactions between stop words and other search features. {#stop-words-ais__table_vdr_yd5_fnb__entry__2} | Feature | Interaction with stop words | |-|-| | [Genius Results](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/tifPTb4QLvFRp1Vwd2sMcQ "Optionally display the best answers for a search query as actionable Genius Result cards included with search results.") | If a search query term that matches a Genius Result configuration's Term trigger is defined as a stop word, AI Search evaluates the trigger before removing that stop word from the search query. When computing Q\&A Genius Results for a search query, AI Search ignores stop words in the query. | | [Lemma and Unicode normalization](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/dtWWHHYDmYUsOuASp_0jvg "AI Search normalizes inflected words and Unicode glyphs during indexing and at search query time. Normalization improves search recall and enables users to find content with variant forms of their search query terms.") | If a search query term is defined as a stop word, AI Search removes that term without normalizing it. | | [Result improvement rules](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/J~mLT_HXtldLRqaNKcQgSw "Define rules with configurable trigger conditions to boost, block, or promote search results for specific searches. You can also boost search results for documents matching elements of the user context, such as a user's country, OS, or device type.") | If a search query term that matches a result improvement rule's Query trigger is defined as a stop word, AI Search evaluates the rule trigger before removing the stop word from the search query. | | [Synonyms](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/cjrGZ8bePEfjKrApMpyYnQ "Synonyms expand search queries to include additional terms with equivalent meaning or usage. Improve search recall by configuring synonym dictionaries and defining synonyms.") | If a synonym definition includes a term defined as a stop word, AI Search retains that term when checking whether the synonym expands a search query. For example, suppose you define as and a as stop words and SAAS↔︎software as a service as a synonym. * If you search for saas, AI Search retains the as and a terms in the synonym expansion. As a result, the search query matches the following records: * records that contain the original search query term saas * records that contain the synonym expansion phrase software as a service {#stop-words-ais__ul_tsr_5rq_tzb} * If you search for software as a service, AI Search retains the as and a query terms when checking for synonym expansions. As a result, the search query matches the following records: * records that contain the phrase software as a service * records that contain the synonym expansion term saas {#stop-words-ais__ul_lxn_xrq_tzb} {#stop-words-ais__ul_ivs_1rq_tzb} | | [Typo handling](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/pmfC8lQxxBx7TjVN98~VRA "AI Search replaces misspelled search query terms with auto-correction terms derived from indexed content. Configure typo handling dictionary settings to control derivation of auto-correction terms.") | If a misspelled search query term is defined as a stop word, AI Search auto-corrects that term normally instead of removing it. AI Search ignores terms defined as stop words when determining an auto-correction for a misspelled search query term. For example, if you define email as a stop word, AI Search doesn't offer email as an auto-correction when you search for emial. | | [Wildcard operators](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/pYnJiDY86yBZDgo79tODSg "See how AI Search displays search results, refinement filter options, and Genius Result answers. Learn how to search using the AI Search query language. Understand when and how AI Search automatically resubmits queries.") | When expanding search terms that contain % or * wildcard operators, AI Search ignores terms defined as stop words. For example, suppose you define the and their as stop words. A search for the* won't expand to match the or their, but will still match non-stop word terms such as there and these. | [ ] {#stop-words-ais__table_vdr_yd5_fnb} ## Publishing stop word dictionaries {#stop-words-ais__section_sq5_zf5_hnb} Publishing a stop word dictionary makes its settings and active stop words take effect in all linked search profiles. Publishing a search profile updates the profile's stop word dictionary links but doesn't update the dictionary's settings or active stop words in AI Search. * **[Create a stop word dictionary linked to a search profile](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/FLTJY~Rscaj_RyxIMBlIIA)** Define a new stop word dictionary and link it to a search profile. * **[Create stop words](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/JUYRsfXyAn8q_L28mft28g)** Define terms to remove from search queries. * **[Clone a stop word dictionary](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/t0O05Pe1bCeTXDqk6SzqRQ)** Create a copy of an existing stop word dictionary. * **[Link a stop word dictionary to a search profile](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PKXIALFaWsh1VodMo9SA2w)** Link an existing stop word dictionary to one or more search profiles. * **[Unlink a stop word dictionary from a search profile](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/~0ZD_lUifMhTmyYOKDOJfw)** Remove a stop word dictionary that isn't linked from any search profile. * **[Delete a stop word dictionary](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/3crwNAFceXjiFa0JEG_DKA)** Remove a stop word dictionary that isn't linked from any search profile.