# RLIKE and REGEXP

`RLIKE` and `REGEXP` are synonyms. `RLIKE` is discussed below. The discussion also applies to `REGEXP`, as both functions work identically.

`RLIKE` searches a string for a [regular expression pattern](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/sql-reference/regular-expression-functions.md). It returns `1` if the pattern is found and returns `0` if the pattern is not found.

`RLIKE` supports the [extended and advanced regular expression formats](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/sql-reference/regular-expression-functions.md). You can set the global variable `regexp_format` to specify which format you want to use.

## Syntax

```
source_string RLIKE pattern
source_string REGEXP pattern

```

* **source\_string**: A string expression, such as a column name, to be searched.
* **pattern**: A string literal representing a regular expression.

## Remarks

* Refer to [Regular Expression Functions](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/sql-reference/regular-expression-functions.md) for details about error handling.

## Examples

The following examples demonstrate how `RLIKE` works when the global variable `regexp_format` is set to `'extended'`.

| Call to`RLIKE`                        | Result |
| ------------------------------------- | ------ |
| `SELECT 'adog' RLIKE 'o';`            | `1`    |
| `SELECT 'adog' RLIKE '.o';`           | `1`    |
| `SELECT 'dog58' RLIKE '[:digit:]';`   | `1`    |
| `SELECT '1dogbat' RLIKE '[:alpha:]';` | `1`    |
| `SELECT 'rat' RLIKE 'b\|c';`          | `0`    |
| `SELECT 'cat5mouse' RLIKE 'cat$';`    | `0`    |
| `SELECT 'dogcat2' RLIKE '^dog';`      | `1`    |

The following examples demonstrate how `RLIKE` works when the global variable `regexp_format` is set to `'advanced'`.

| Call to`RLIKE`                     | Result |
| ---------------------------------- | ------ |
| `SELECT 'dog' RLIKE '\\D';`        | `1`    |
| `SELECT 'dog' RLIKE '\\d';`        | `0`    |
| `SELECT '26dog' RLIKE '\\W';`      | `0`    |
| `SELECT '26dog' RLIKE '\\w';`      | `1`    |
| `SELECT 'cat dog' RLIKE '\\mdog';` | `1`    |

## Using `RLIKE` With a Table

The following example shows how to call `RLIKE` once per table row. This example uses extended regular expression matching. Advanced regular expression matching could be used as well.

```sql
SET GLOBAL regexp_format = 'extended';

DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS singlestore_docs_example;
CREATE DATABASE singlestore_docs_example;
USE singlestore_docs_example;
CREATE TABLE regexample_table(id INT, text_field TEXT);

INSERT INTO regexample_table VALUES (1, 'the'), (2, 'athe'), (3, 'abthe'),
(4, 'abcthe'), (5, 'thethe');

SELECT id, text_field, text_field RLIKE '..the' FROM regexample_table
ORDER BY id;

```

```output

+------+------------+--------------------------+
| id   | text_field | text_field RLIKE '..the' |
+------+------------+--------------------------+
|    1 | the        |                        0 |
|    2 | athe       |                        0 |
|    3 | abthe      |                        1 |
|    4 | abcthe     |                        1 |
|    5 | thethe     |                        1 |
+------+------------+--------------------------+

```

***

Modified at: September 26, 2025

Source: [/db/v9.1/reference/sql-reference/regular-expression-functions/rlike-and-regexp/](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/sql-reference/regular-expression-functions/rlike-and-regexp/)

(An index of the documentation is available at /llms.txt)