How do I search for a pattern repeated an exact number of times in Vim?

Explanation

Vim supports counted quantifiers that let you specify exactly how many times a pattern should repeat. This is far more precise than * or \+ and is essential for matching fixed-width fields, specific indentation levels, or structured data.

How it works

• \{n} — matches exactly n times
• \{n,m} — matches n to m times (greedy)
• \{n,} — matches n or more times
• \{,m} — matches 0 to m times
• \{-n,m} — matches n to m times (non-greedy)

Example

Find exactly 3 consecutive digits:

/\d\{3}

Text: 12 345 6789 42
Matches: 345, 678 (first 3 digits of 6789)

Find lines with 4+ spaces of indentation:

/^ \{4,}

Tips

• \{-} is the non-greedy equivalent of * (match as few as possible)
• In very magic mode: /\v\d{3} (no backslash needed on braces)
• Combine with groups: \(ab\)\{3} matches ababab
• Use \{0,1} as an alternative to \= (optional match)