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Word Find and Replace

Robert Judge 25 Reputation points
2025-12-18T12:57:51.72+00:00

I need help with WORD "Find and Replace", please. In my large document, I want to replace the word "January" with "-January" (and the same for February, March, etc.) I have made some of the replacements manually. Now, I am trying to find the remaining entries of "January" so that I can change them all to "-January." However, when I use Find and Replace to search the document for "January," it includes all the entries for "January" AND all entries for "-January." How can I make Find and Replace search for "January" but exclude entries for "-January"? I will appreciate help.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows
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  1. Charles Kenyon 166.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-12-18T16:54:00.13+00:00

    The simplest would be to do two Replace operations. The first would clear your manual changes. The second would change everything to your desired entry.

    That is, Replace "-January" with "January" then replace "January" with "-January"

    Otherwise, you could use the Replace button and Next button to manually skip ones you do not need to replace.

    Third option, Replace (all) "January" with "-January"

    Then Replace (all) "--January" with "-January"

    If you have no intentional instances of -- in your document, you could simply do the replaces for the twelve months replacing all. This will give you some with two dashes.

    Replace "--" with "-" after you have done all months.

    Question, are all instances of the months that you have not manually changed preceded by a single specific character? If so, you could include that in your replaces.

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  1. Robert Judge 25 Reputation points
    2025-12-19T12:31:18.3266667+00:00

    Charles,

    Thank you for your helpful message!

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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