---
title: "How to filter records using LIKE operator in SQL server?"  
description: "How to filter records using LIKE operator in SQL server?"  
author: "Revati S Misra"  
published: 2023-12-21  
updated: 2024-04-21  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/160543/how-to-filter-records-using-like-operator-in-sql-server  
category: "mssql server"  
tags: ["sql server", "sql", "likes"]  
reading_time: 1 minute  

---

# How to filter records using LIKE operator in SQL server?

How to [search](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/65368/best-smo-services-company-in-hyderabad-improve-search-rankings) [filter](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/1176/filter-in-a-xml-file-in-c-sharp) [records](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/34640/how-to-create-a-stored-procedure-for-display-all-records) using LIKE [operator](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/144/union-intersection-and-except-operator-in-sql-server) in [SQL server](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12999/what-is-table-valued-function-in-sql-server)?

## Replies

### Reply by Bhavesh Badani

**[SQL](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/13115/types-of-keys-in-sql-or-oracle-database) [Server](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/43769/what-is-serverless-architecture-is-it-worth-switching-over) LIKE Operator**:

- The **LIKE operator** is a tool in SQL (Structured Query Language) that helps us search for specific patterns within text data.

**Pattern Matching**:

- Imagine you have a list of names, and you want to find all the names containing the letters “abc.”, The **LIKE operator** helps you to perform it.

**Wildcard characters**:

- The **wildcard characters** are like secret codes:

   - `%` represents any number of characters (even zero characters).
   - `_` represents exactly one character.

- For example:

   - `LIKE '%abc%'` finds any name containing “abc” anywhere.
   - `LIKE 'a_bc'` finds names like “abc,” “axbc,” or “azbc.”


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