How do I replace a word under the cursor?

Explanation

The ciw command deletes the inner word under the cursor and drops you into insert mode so you can type a replacement. It combines the c (change) operator with the iw (inner word) text object.

How it works

• c triggers the change operator (delete + enter insert mode)
• iw selects the inner word under the cursor, excluding surrounding whitespace

Example

Given the text:

The quick brown fox

With the cursor anywhere on quick, pressing ciw deletes the word and enters insert mode. Type slow to get:

The slow brown fox

Tips

• Your cursor can be anywhere on the word — beginning, middle, or end
• Use caw ("a word") to also consume one side of surrounding whitespace
• Use ciW to change a WORD (whitespace-delimited, includes punctuation)
• Pair with . to repeat the same replacement on another word