Emacs: Search Current Word 📜

By Xah Lee. Date: 2010-05-29. Last updated: 2025-09-15.

Command to Search Current Word

Here's a command to isearch the word under cursor.

(defun xah-search-current-word ()
  "Call `isearch' on current word or selection.
“word” here is A to Z, a to z, and hyphen [-] and lowline [_], independent of syntax table.

URL `http://xahlee.info/emacs/emacs/emacs_search_current_word.html'
Created: 2010-05-29
Version: 2025-09-15"
  (interactive)
  (let (xbeg xend)
    (if (region-active-p)
        (setq xbeg (region-beginning) xend (region-end))
      (save-excursion
        (skip-chars-backward "-_A-Za-z0-9")
        (setq xbeg (point))
        (right-char)
        (skip-chars-forward "-_A-Za-z0-9")
        (setq xend (point))))
    (deactivate-mark)
    (when (< xbeg (point)) (goto-char xbeg))
    (isearch-mode t)
    (isearch-yank-string (buffer-substring-no-properties xbeg xend))))

You need to give it a easy key. Such as F8. [see Emacs Keys: Define Key]

Also, you should set your isearch repeat to arrow keys. emacs init: isearch by Arrow Keys.