diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e711c48..984e46c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ Runs [grep](https://crates.io/crates/grep) ([ripgrep's](https://github.com/Burnt
     --theme <THEME>             UI color theme [default: dark] [possible values: light, dark]
     --type-list                 Show all supported file types and their corresponding globs.
 -V, --version                   Print version information.
+-w, --word-regexp               Only show matches surrounded by word boundaries
 ```
 NOTE: `ig` respects `ripgrep`'s [configuration file](https://github.com/BurntSushi/ripgrep/blob/master/GUIDE.md#configuration-file) if `RIPGREP_CONFIG_PATH` environment variable is set and reads all supported options from it.
 
diff --git a/src/args.rs b/src/args.rs
index 75eab45..ae528fc 100644
--- a/src/args.rs
+++ b/src/args.rs
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ pub struct Args {
     /// Follow symbolic links while traversing directories.
     #[clap(short = 'L', long = "follow")]
     pub follow_links: bool,
+    /// Only show matches surrounded by word boundaries.
+    #[clap(short = 'w', long = "word-regexp")]
+    pub word_regexp: bool,
     /// Include files and directories for searching that match the given glob.
     /// Multiple globs may be provided.
     #[clap(short, long)]
diff --git a/src/ig/search_config.rs b/src/ig/search_config.rs
index 6239b93..9cb6877 100644
--- a/src/ig/search_config.rs
+++ b/src/ig/search_config.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ pub struct SearchConfig {
     pub types: Types,
     pub search_hidden: bool,
     pub follow_links: bool,
+    pub word_regexp: bool,
 }
 
 impl SearchConfig {
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ impl SearchConfig {
             types,
             search_hidden: false,
             follow_links: false,
+            word_regexp: false,
         })
     }
 
@@ -80,4 +82,9 @@ impl SearchConfig {
         self.follow_links = follow_links;
         self
     }
+
+    pub fn word_regexp(mut self, word_regexp: bool) -> Self {
+        self.word_regexp = word_regexp;
+        self
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/ig/searcher.rs b/src/ig/searcher.rs
index 4a68494..cc59b49 100644
--- a/src/ig/searcher.rs
+++ b/src/ig/searcher.rs
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ fn run(path: &Path, config: SearchConfig, tx: mpsc::Sender<Event>) {
         .line_terminator(Some(b'\n'))
         .case_insensitive(config.case_insensitive)
         .case_smart(config.case_smart)
+        .word(config.word_regexp)
         .build(&config.pattern)
         .expect("Cannot build RegexMatcher");
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 3a538a6..09a4c44 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
         .case_smart(args.smart_case)
         .search_hidden(args.search_hidden)
         .follow_links(args.follow_links)
+        .word_regexp(args.word_regexp)
         .globs(args.glob)?
         .file_types(args.type_matching, args.type_not)?;