Free tool
Google Ads Match Types
Your match type decides which searches can trigger your ad. Pick a type to see the searches it opens on Google’s own example, then paste your negative keywords: the tool tells you which searches stay blocked.
Google Ads offers three keyword match types: broad match, phrase match and exact match. They set how closely a search has to match your keyword for your ad to enter the auction. Negative keywords follow their own, more literal rules.
The Searches Your Keyword Can Trigger
Pick a match type: the example Google publishes shows the searches it opens.
"furniture store"
- home decor
- cream colored leather sectional
- cheap furniture stores
- living room furniture deals
- what store is the best place to find a bedroom dresser
- furniture store
- home furnishing shop
Example published by Google in its help page on keyword match types, read on 15 October 2026. Google matches on meaning: for your own keyword, your search terms report shows what actually triggered the ad.
Test Your Negative Keywords
Paste your negative keywords and some searches, one per line: the tool applies the rules Google publishes.
Add at least one negative keyword and one search: the result shows up here.
Rules and example from Google’s help page on negative keywords, read on 15 October 2026. Google also catches misspellings; the tool compares words as they are written, ignoring capital letters and periods. Accents count: café and cafe are two different words.
How Google Matches A Search To Your Keyword
furniture store → broad match "furniture store" → phrase match [furniture store] → exact match
Google arranges its three match types as nested circles: a broader type captures all the searches of the narrower ones, and more. Exact match sticks to searches with the same meaning or the same intent. Phrase match adds searches that include the meaning of your keyword. Broad match opens to searches related to it, even when they don’t contain its direct meaning.
Matching works on meaning, not on letters. In Google’s example, “home furnishing shop” can trigger [furniture store] without using “furniture” or “store”. With broad match, Google can also use the person’s recent searches, your landing page content and the other keywords in the ad group. That is why the first part of the tool shows the example Google publishes, and no prediction for your keyword.
Negative keywords, on the other hand, apply word for word, and that is what the second part replays. While building it, I found a case Google’s help does not settle: a negative phrase match keyword whose words appear in the right order, but with another word between them. The tool marks it “to check” instead of guessing.
The Rules Of Negative Keywords
- Negative broad match, the default: your ad is blocked if the search contains all the keyword’s words, in any order. With only some of them, it can still show.
- Negative phrase match, in quotes: blocked if the words appear in the same order, even with other words around them. A word with extra characters lets the ad show.
- Negative exact match, in brackets: blocked only if the search uses the same words, in the same order, with no other word.
- No close variants: excluding “flowers” blocks “red flowers”, but not “red flower”. Google asks you to add synonyms and singular or plural forms yourself; it takes care of capital letters and misspellings.
- Symbols: an accent makes two different keywords (café and cafe), “&” is not “and”, periods are ignored, and a word with a minus in front drops out of the keyword. Past the 16th word of a search, a negative keyword no longer blocks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Phrase match vs exact match: what is the difference?
Exact match targets searches with the same meaning or the same intent as your keyword. Phrase match captures all of those, plus searches that include the meaning of your keyword, even more specific ones. Google puts it in between: more searches than exact match, fewer than broad match.
Broad match vs phrase match: what is the difference?
Broad match captures the phrase match searches, plus searches related to your keyword that don’t contain its direct meaning. To decide, Google also reads other signals, such as the person’s recent searches or your landing page, and it calls using Smart Bidding with broad match critical.
Do negative keywords have match types?
Yes, the same three: broad, phrase and exact. They work differently: a negative keyword covers no close variants, so singular, plural and synonyms have to be added by hand. Broad match is the default type.
What happened to broad match modifier?
Google folded it into phrase match: from February 2021, phrase match took on its behavior, and since July 2021 new broad match modifier keywords can no longer be created. The ones left in an account behave exactly like phrase match keywords.
Your Clicks Going To Off-Topic Searches?
Your search terms report shows which searches actually triggered your ads, and which ones cost money without bringing anything back. Your match types and negative keywords are set from it.
Pay For The Right Searches
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