# Wildcard (\*) search in elasticsearch

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/wildcard-search-in-elasticsearch/137069>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [June 22, 2018, 6:37pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/wildcard-search-in-elasticsearch/137069 "2018-06-22T18:37:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nataraj\_Gandhi\_aruna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Nataraj\_Gandhi\_aruna](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Nataraj_Gandhi_aruna)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 6:37pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/wildcard-search-in-elasticsearch/137069/1 "2018-06-22T18:37:23Z")

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Hi,

When i search through my index performing a query\_string search with just the term, "\*". I see a set of results.

I am just trying to find out if elasticsearch applies any logic while searching with just the wildcard term "\*" or it just returns a random set of results back.

Thank you!

Regards,  
Nataraj

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**Author:** ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 8:10am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/wildcard-search-in-elasticsearch/137069/2 "2018-06-23T08:10:16Z")

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By default, results are ordered by `_score`. Here the score is `1` from every document.

I'd consider that it is like returning a random set of results back unless you are using another sorting field.

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**Author:** ![Nataraj\_Gandhi\_aruna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Nataraj\_Gandhi\_aruna](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Nataraj_Gandhi_aruna)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 6:07am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/wildcard-search-in-elasticsearch/137069/3 "2018-06-24T06:07:07Z")

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Thank you for your answer @dadoonet

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 6:07am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/wildcard-search-in-elasticsearch/137069/4 "2018-07-22T06:07:08Z")

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