Manage query spelling correction in SharePoint Server
APPLIES TO: 
2013 2016 2019 Subscription Edition 
SharePoint in Microsoft 365
In the classic search experience, if a user enters a word in a search query that appears to be misspelled, the search results page displays query spelling corrections. This is also known as "Did you mean?". For example, if someone enters a query that contains the word "ampitheater", the query spelling correction would be "amphitheater".
These query spelling suggestions are based on the closest matches in the default spelling dictionaries and the Query Spelling Inclusions list. For terms that you enter in the Query Spelling Exclusions list, query spelling suggestions will never be displayed. You can edit the Query Spelling Inclusions and the Query Spelling Exclusions list, but you can't edit the default spelling dictionaries. It takes up to 10 minutes for any changes to the Query Spelling Exclusions or the Query Spelling Inclusions list to take effect.
Important
You can only include or exclude single words.
For more information about linguistic search features for different languages see Linguistic search features in SharePoint Server.
Open the Term Store Management Tool
The query spelling exclusions and inclusions lists are managed in the Term Store. Use the Term Store Management Tool to edit the lists.
To get to the Term Store Management Tool
Verify that the user account that is performing this procedure is an administrator for the Search service application.
On the home page of the SharePoint Central Administration website, in the Application Management section, click Manage service applications.
On the Manage Service Applications page, click the Search service application.
On the Search Administration Page, in the Queries and Results section, click Search Dictionaries. The Term Store Management Tool opens.
Exclude terms from query spelling corrections
To exclude words from query spelling corrections, add terms to the Query Spelling Exclusions list.
Important
Create a separate term for each query spelling correction exclusion. Do not create subterms for terms in the Query Spelling Exclusions list. Term hierarchies will be ignored in this context.
To add a word to the Query Spelling Exclusions list
On the Site Settings: Term Store Management Tool page, click the arrow to expand the Search Dictionaries menu.
Click Query Spelling Exclusions, click the arrow and then click Create Term.
Type the word that you want to exclude in the box that appears.
Click anywhere on the page to add the term to the Query Spelling Exclusions list.
Include terms in query spelling corrections
To include words in query spelling corrections, add terms to the Query Spelling Inclusions list.
Important
Create a separate term for each query spelling correction inclusion. Do not create subterms for terms in the Query Spelling Inclusions list. Term hierarchies will be ignored in this context.
To add a word to the Query Spelling Inclusions list
On the Site Settings: Term Store Management Tool page, click the arrow to expand the Search Dictionaries menu.
Click Query Spelling Inclusions, click the arrow and then click Create Term.
Type the word that you want to include in the box that appears.
Click anywhere on the page to add the term to the Query Spelling Inclusions list.
Edit terms
You can edit the names of terms in the Query Spelling Exclusions and Query Spelling Inclusions lists.
To edit terms
On the Site Settings: Term Store Management Tool page, click the arrow to expand the Search Dictionaries menu.
Depending on which list the term is in, click either Query Spelling Exclusions or Query Spelling Inclusions.
Double-click the term that you want to edit.
Type the new name for the term.
Click anywhere on the page to save the edited term.
See also
Linguistic search features in SharePoint Server