How do I use grep to search for lines containing all words in a list with no specific order in a text file? [duplicate]

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up vote
2
down vote

favorite

This question already has an answer here:

• 
  Grep searching two words in a line
  
  7 answers
  
  

How can we use grep to get line(s) containing a group of words, while the order of words is not important, although line(s) should contain all words mentioned in search?

I have done that with phasing the search (with piping, saving the outputs in temporary files, and searching again), but I'd like to know if I can do that in one attempt.

Here is a sample; I want to search in the lines below for lines containing sample, words, list:

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
line with no search keyword here.
list the sample files.
something completely different.

And get this result:

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.

command-line grep

share|improve this question

edited Aug 26 at 14:06

Peter Mortensen

1,03821016

asked Aug 23 at 14:12

arash deilami

255

marked as duplicate by αғsнιη, RoVo, Thomas, Fabby, Bruni Aug 24 at 12:36

This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Are the sentences on separate lines, can OP confirm this?
  – George Udosen
  Aug 23 at 14:20
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  This grep -e words -e sample -e list newfile works as well
  – George Udosen
  Aug 23 at 14:24
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Hi George. Yes, each sentence is on a separate line.
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 14:27
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Probably awk better fits here.
  – PerlDuck
  Aug 23 at 14:34
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @PerlDuck I agree, much easier. awk '(/sample/ && /words/ && /list/)' samplefile
  – Terrance
  Aug 23 at 14:43
  
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

up vote
2
down vote

favorite

This question already has an answer here:

• 
  Grep searching two words in a line
  
  7 answers
  
  

How can we use grep to get line(s) containing a group of words, while the order of words is not important, although line(s) should contain all words mentioned in search?

I have done that with phasing the search (with piping, saving the outputs in temporary files, and searching again), but I'd like to know if I can do that in one attempt.

Here is a sample; I want to search in the lines below for lines containing sample, words, list:

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
line with no search keyword here.
list the sample files.
something completely different.

And get this result:

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.

command-line grep

share|improve this question

edited Aug 26 at 14:06

Peter Mortensen

1,03821016

asked Aug 23 at 14:12

arash deilami

255

marked as duplicate by αғsнιη, RoVo, Thomas, Fabby, Bruni Aug 24 at 12:36

This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Are the sentences on separate lines, can OP confirm this?
  – George Udosen
  Aug 23 at 14:20
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  This grep -e words -e sample -e list newfile works as well
  – George Udosen
  Aug 23 at 14:24
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Hi George. Yes, each sentence is on a separate line.
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 14:27
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Probably awk better fits here.
  – PerlDuck
  Aug 23 at 14:34
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @PerlDuck I agree, much easier. awk '(/sample/ && /words/ && /list/)' samplefile
  – Terrance
  Aug 23 at 14:43
  
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

up vote
2
down vote

favorite

up vote
2
down vote

favorite

This question already has an answer here:

• 
  Grep searching two words in a line
  
  7 answers
  
  

How can we use grep to get line(s) containing a group of words, while the order of words is not important, although line(s) should contain all words mentioned in search?

I have done that with phasing the search (with piping, saving the outputs in temporary files, and searching again), but I'd like to know if I can do that in one attempt.

Here is a sample; I want to search in the lines below for lines containing sample, words, list:

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
line with no search keyword here.
list the sample files.
something completely different.

And get this result:

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.

command-line grep

share|improve this question

edited Aug 26 at 14:06

Peter Mortensen

1,03821016

asked Aug 23 at 14:12

arash deilami

255

This question already has an answer here:

• 
  Grep searching two words in a line
  
  7 answers
  
  

How can we use grep to get line(s) containing a group of words, while the order of words is not important, although line(s) should contain all words mentioned in search?

I have done that with phasing the search (with piping, saving the outputs in temporary files, and searching again), but I'd like to know if I can do that in one attempt.

Here is a sample; I want to search in the lines below for lines containing sample, words, list:

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
line with no search keyword here.
list the sample files.
something completely different.

And get this result:

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.

This question already has an answer here:

• 
  Grep searching two words in a line
  
  7 answers
  
  

command-line grep

share|improve this question

edited Aug 26 at 14:06

Peter Mortensen

1,03821016

asked Aug 23 at 14:12

arash deilami

255

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

edited Aug 26 at 14:06

Peter Mortensen

1,03821016

edited Aug 26 at 14:06

Peter Mortensen

1,03821016

edited Aug 26 at 14:06

Peter Mortensen

1,03821016

1,03821016

asked Aug 23 at 14:12

arash deilami

255

asked Aug 23 at 14:12

arash deilami

255

asked Aug 23 at 14:12

arash deilami

255

255

marked as duplicate by αғsнιη, RoVo, Thomas, Fabby, Bruni Aug 24 at 12:36

This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.

marked as duplicate by αғsнιη, RoVo, Thomas, Fabby, Bruni Aug 24 at 12:36

This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Are the sentences on separate lines, can OP confirm this?
  – George Udosen
  Aug 23 at 14:20
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  This grep -e words -e sample -e list newfile works as well
  – George Udosen
  Aug 23 at 14:24
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Hi George. Yes, each sentence is on a separate line.
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 14:27
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Probably awk better fits here.
  – PerlDuck
  Aug 23 at 14:34
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @PerlDuck I agree, much easier. awk '(/sample/ && /words/ && /list/)' samplefile
  – Terrance
  Aug 23 at 14:43
  
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Are the sentences on separate lines, can OP confirm this?
  – George Udosen
  Aug 23 at 14:20
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  This grep -e words -e sample -e list newfile works as well
  – George Udosen
  Aug 23 at 14:24
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Hi George. Yes, each sentence is on a separate line.
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 14:27
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Probably awk better fits here.
  – PerlDuck
  Aug 23 at 14:34
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @PerlDuck I agree, much easier. awk '(/sample/ && /words/ && /list/)' samplefile
  – Terrance
  Aug 23 at 14:43
  
  

  
  
  
  

Are the sentences on separate lines, can OP confirm this?
– George Udosen
Aug 23 at 14:20

Are the sentences on separate lines, can OP confirm this?
– George Udosen
Aug 23 at 14:20

1

1

This grep -e words -e sample -e list newfile works as well
– George Udosen
Aug 23 at 14:24

This grep -e words -e sample -e list newfile works as well
– George Udosen
Aug 23 at 14:24

1

1

Hi George. Yes, each sentence is on a separate line.
– arash deilami
Aug 23 at 14:27

Hi George. Yes, each sentence is on a separate line.
– arash deilami
Aug 23 at 14:27

2

2

Probably awk better fits here.
– PerlDuck
Aug 23 at 14:34

Probably awk better fits here.
– PerlDuck
Aug 23 at 14:34

3

3

@PerlDuck I agree, much easier. awk '(/sample/ && /words/ && /list/)' samplefile
– Terrance
Aug 23 at 14:43

@PerlDuck I agree, much easier. awk '(/sample/ && /words/ && /list/)' samplefile
– Terrance
Aug 23 at 14:43

 | 
show 3 more comments

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

up vote
4
down vote



accepted

The easy way is with multiple calls to grep:

grep sample testfile.txt | grep words | grep list

A demonstration:

echo -e "it's a sample test file for a list of words.nlist of words without a specific order, it's a sample. nline with no search keyword here. nlist the sample words. nsomething completely different." | grep sample | grep words | grep list
it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample. 
list the sample words. 

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 23 at 14:20

waltinator

20.4k73968

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  yes, this works as I've mentioned, but i'm looking for a one-line-solution. Although sometimes it's better to do things the easy way. thanks :)
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 18:11
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  grep -e also selects lines which have only two words (not all the words). Maybe I should try awk instead of grep, it works fine. Thank you all
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 18:18
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
4
down vote

You can use lookaheads with Perl-regex (-P):

grep -P '(?=.*list)(?=.*words)(?=.*sample)'

---

Example:

echo "it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
line with no search keyword here.
list the sample words.
sample line with only two of the keywords inside.
something completely different." 
| grep -P '(?=.*list)(?=.*words)(?=.*sample)'

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
list the sample words.

(via)

---

With agrep (sudo apt install agrep) you can chain multiple patterns:

agrep "sample;words;list"

(via)

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 23 at 14:51

answered Aug 23 at 14:25

RoVo

5,4671236

add a comment | 

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
4
down vote



accepted

The easy way is with multiple calls to grep:

grep sample testfile.txt | grep words | grep list

A demonstration:

echo -e "it's a sample test file for a list of words.nlist of words without a specific order, it's a sample. nline with no search keyword here. nlist the sample words. nsomething completely different." | grep sample | grep words | grep list
it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample. 
list the sample words. 

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 23 at 14:20

waltinator

20.4k73968

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  yes, this works as I've mentioned, but i'm looking for a one-line-solution. Although sometimes it's better to do things the easy way. thanks :)
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 18:11
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  grep -e also selects lines which have only two words (not all the words). Maybe I should try awk instead of grep, it works fine. Thank you all
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 18:18
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
4
down vote



accepted

The easy way is with multiple calls to grep:

grep sample testfile.txt | grep words | grep list

A demonstration:

echo -e "it's a sample test file for a list of words.nlist of words without a specific order, it's a sample. nline with no search keyword here. nlist the sample words. nsomething completely different." | grep sample | grep words | grep list
it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample. 
list the sample words. 

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 23 at 14:20

waltinator

20.4k73968

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  yes, this works as I've mentioned, but i'm looking for a one-line-solution. Although sometimes it's better to do things the easy way. thanks :)
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 18:11
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  grep -e also selects lines which have only two words (not all the words). Maybe I should try awk instead of grep, it works fine. Thank you all
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 18:18
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
4
down vote



accepted

up vote
4
down vote



accepted

The easy way is with multiple calls to grep:

grep sample testfile.txt | grep words | grep list

A demonstration:

echo -e "it's a sample test file for a list of words.nlist of words without a specific order, it's a sample. nline with no search keyword here. nlist the sample words. nsomething completely different." | grep sample | grep words | grep list
it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample. 
list the sample words. 

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 23 at 14:20

waltinator

20.4k73968

The easy way is with multiple calls to grep:

grep sample testfile.txt | grep words | grep list

A demonstration:

echo -e "it's a sample test file for a list of words.nlist of words without a specific order, it's a sample. nline with no search keyword here. nlist the sample words. nsomething completely different." | grep sample | grep words | grep list
it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample. 
list the sample words. 

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 23 at 14:20

waltinator

20.4k73968

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 23 at 14:20

waltinator

20.4k73968

answered Aug 23 at 14:20

waltinator

20.4k73968

answered Aug 23 at 14:20

waltinator

20.4k73968

20.4k73968

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  yes, this works as I've mentioned, but i'm looking for a one-line-solution. Although sometimes it's better to do things the easy way. thanks :)
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 18:11
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  grep -e also selects lines which have only two words (not all the words). Maybe I should try awk instead of grep, it works fine. Thank you all
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 18:18
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  yes, this works as I've mentioned, but i'm looking for a one-line-solution. Although sometimes it's better to do things the easy way. thanks :)
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 18:11
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  grep -e also selects lines which have only two words (not all the words). Maybe I should try awk instead of grep, it works fine. Thank you all
  – arash deilami
  Aug 23 at 18:18
  
  

  
  
  
  

yes, this works as I've mentioned, but i'm looking for a one-line-solution. Although sometimes it's better to do things the easy way. thanks :)
– arash deilami
Aug 23 at 18:11

yes, this works as I've mentioned, but i'm looking for a one-line-solution. Although sometimes it's better to do things the easy way. thanks :)
– arash deilami
Aug 23 at 18:11

grep -e also selects lines which have only two words (not all the words). Maybe I should try awk instead of grep, it works fine. Thank you all
– arash deilami
Aug 23 at 18:18

grep -e also selects lines which have only two words (not all the words). Maybe I should try awk instead of grep, it works fine. Thank you all
– arash deilami
Aug 23 at 18:18

add a comment | 

up vote
4
down vote

You can use lookaheads with Perl-regex (-P):

grep -P '(?=.*list)(?=.*words)(?=.*sample)'

---

Example:

echo "it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
line with no search keyword here.
list the sample words.
sample line with only two of the keywords inside.
something completely different." 
| grep -P '(?=.*list)(?=.*words)(?=.*sample)'

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
list the sample words.

(via)

---

With agrep (sudo apt install agrep) you can chain multiple patterns:

agrep "sample;words;list"

(via)

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 23 at 14:51

answered Aug 23 at 14:25

RoVo

5,4671236

add a comment | 

up vote
4
down vote

You can use lookaheads with Perl-regex (-P):

grep -P '(?=.*list)(?=.*words)(?=.*sample)'

---

Example:

echo "it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
line with no search keyword here.
list the sample words.
sample line with only two of the keywords inside.
something completely different." 
| grep -P '(?=.*list)(?=.*words)(?=.*sample)'

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
list the sample words.

(via)

---

With agrep (sudo apt install agrep) you can chain multiple patterns:

agrep "sample;words;list"

(via)

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 23 at 14:51

answered Aug 23 at 14:25

RoVo

5,4671236

add a comment | 

up vote
4
down vote

up vote
4
down vote

You can use lookaheads with Perl-regex (-P):

grep -P '(?=.*list)(?=.*words)(?=.*sample)'

---

Example:

echo "it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
line with no search keyword here.
list the sample words.
sample line with only two of the keywords inside.
something completely different." 
| grep -P '(?=.*list)(?=.*words)(?=.*sample)'

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
list the sample words.

(via)

---

With agrep (sudo apt install agrep) you can chain multiple patterns:

agrep "sample;words;list"

(via)

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 23 at 14:51

answered Aug 23 at 14:25

RoVo

5,4671236

You can use lookaheads with Perl-regex (-P):

grep -P '(?=.*list)(?=.*words)(?=.*sample)'

---

Example:

echo "it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
line with no search keyword here.
list the sample words.
sample line with only two of the keywords inside.
something completely different." 
| grep -P '(?=.*list)(?=.*words)(?=.*sample)'

it's a sample test file for a list of words.
list of words without a specific order, it's a sample.
list the sample words.

(via)

---

With agrep (sudo apt install agrep) you can chain multiple patterns:

agrep "sample;words;list"

(via)

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 23 at 14:51

answered Aug 23 at 14:25

RoVo

5,4671236

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 23 at 14:51

edited Aug 23 at 14:51

edited Aug 23 at 14:51

answered Aug 23 at 14:25

RoVo

5,4671236

answered Aug 23 at 14:25

RoVo

5,4671236

answered Aug 23 at 14:25

RoVo

5,4671236

5,4671236

add a comment | 

add a comment |