← Back to Glossary
Hybrid Search
Combining semantic vector search (dense) and keyword search (sparse) to catch both conceptual meaning and exact jargon.
Why it exists
Dense search understands concepts; sparse search understands exact strings. Combining both eliminates single-method blind spots.
How it works
Runs dense and sparse retrieval in parallel, then merges rankings using Reciprocal Rank Fusion (RRF) or score weighting.