Hybrid search runs keyword and vector-based retrieval together and merges the results, typically with a scoring method that balances the two. Keyword search handles exact terms while semantic search handles paraphrase and synonym.
Result fusion methods vary in how they weight each source.
Alternative Names:
Hybrid Retrieval, Combined Search
Why it Matters?
Hybrid is the right default for litigation because legal documents contain both categories of target. Bates numbers, party names, defined terms, and case citations require exact matching, while clinical descriptions and testimony about concepts require semantic retrieval. A system offering only one approach will systematically miss one category, and the failures are silent rather than obvious.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Why combine keyword and semantic search?
What happens with only one method?
