# Boost using caret sign
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/boost-using-caret-sign/203255
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [October 11, 2019, 3:12pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/boost-using-caret-sign/203255 "2019-10-11T15:12:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Benjamin\_Gathmann](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Benjamin_Gathmann)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2019, 3:12pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/boost-using-caret-sign/203255/1 "2019-10-11T15:12:32Z")
I read on this website [https://dzone.com/articles/23-useful-elasticsearch-example-queries](https://dzone.com/articles/23-useful-elasticsearch-example-queries) that I can use the caret sign ("^") to boost a field in a multi\_match query, like so:
```
GET /bookdb_index/_search
{
"query": {
"multi_match": {
"query": "guide",
"fields": ["summary", "authors", "publisher", "title^20"]
}
}
}
```
But this is described nowhere in the Elastic documentation. Does anybody know something about it?
In addition, I noticed that the page on Boosting in the ES guide is very faulty:
[https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/7.4/mapping-boost.html](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/7.4/mapping-boost.html)
It looks like it's a mix of index and query boosting.
If I find the time, I will correct it and create a PR.
---
### Author:  [@spinscale](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/spinscale)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2019, 12:08pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/boost-using-caret-sign/203255/2 "2019-10-14T12:08:55Z")
Indeed the boosting is not really explaining in the match or multi match query from a quick peek. There is a small explanation however at [https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/7.4/query-dsl-query-string-query.html#\_boosting](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/7.4/query-dsl-query-string-query.html#_boosting) that also applies to match/multi-match.
Documentation PRs are always appreciated!
---
### Author:  [@Benjamin\_Gathmann](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Benjamin_Gathmann)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2019, 12:55pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/boost-using-caret-sign/203255/3 "2019-10-25T12:55:45Z")
Thanks!
I saw on Github that the page on Boosting is already fixed in the Master branch, so no PR necessary.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2019, 12:55pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/boost-using-caret-sign/203255/4 "2019-11-22T12:55:48Z")
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