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How to count number of certain/specific words in a cell or a range of cells in Excel?

Author Siluvia Last modified

Supposing you need to count the number of times a specific word appears in a cell or a range of cells, how can you achieve it? This tutorial provides two methods to help solve this problem step by step.

Count number of certain words in a cell with formula
Quickly count number of certain words in a cell or range of cells with Kutools for Excel

Count number of certain words in a cell with formula

You can combine the LEN and SUBSTITUTE functions to count the number of a specific word in a cell in Excel.

=(LEN(text)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(text,word,"")))/LEN(word)

1. Select a blank cell, enter the below formula into it and press the Enter key.

=(LEN(B2)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(B2,D2,"")))/LEN(D2)

A screenshot showing a formula to count specific words in an Excel cell

Notes:

1. In the formula, B2 is the cell with the text string you need to count a certain word inside, D2 contains the certain word you will count. Please change the cell references based on your cells.
2. This formula can only count number of certain word in a single cell.
3. This formula is case sensitive.

Then you will see the total number of a certain word in a specific cell is calculated and populated in the selected cell.

Count number of certain words in a cell or range of cells with Kutools for Excel

The Count Times a word appears utility of Kutools for Excel helps you easily count number of certain words in a cell or a range of cells without remembering any formulas.

Kutools for Excel offers over 300 advanced features to streamline complex tasks, boosting creativity and efficiency. Itegarate with AI capabilities, Kutools automates tasks with precision, making data management effortless. Detailed information of Kutools for Excel...         Free trial...

1. Select a blank cell to output the result, then click Kutools > Formula Helper > Formula Helper.

A screenshot showing Kutools' Formula Helper in Excel

2. In the Formulas Helper dialog box, please configure as follows..

2.1) In the Choose a formula box, find and select Count the number of a word;
Tips: You can check the Filter box, enter a keyword into the textbox to quickly filter the formula you need.
2.2) In the Text box, select the cell or range of cells in which you want to count the number of times a word appears;
2.3) In the Word box, specify the cell containing the specific word you will count;
Tips: You can directly enter the certain word into the Word box as the below screenshot shown.
2.4) Click OK.

A screenshot of the Formulas Helper dialog box

Then you will get the result in the selected cell. See screenshot:

A screenshot showing the result of counting specific words in Excel using Kutools

Note: This feature is case sensitive.

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Demo: Quickly count number of certain words in a cell or range of cells with Kutools for Excel

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