Java tutorial
import java.util.regex.Pattern; public class Main { public static void main(String[] argv) throws Exception { String patternStr = "i.e."; boolean matchFound = Pattern.matches(patternStr, "i.e."); matchFound = Pattern.matches(patternStr, "ibex"); // Quote the pattern; i.e. surround with \Q and \E matchFound = Pattern.matches("\\Q" + patternStr + "\\E", "i.e."); matchFound = Pattern.matches("\\Q" + patternStr + "\\E", "ibex"); // Escape the pattern patternStr = escapeRE(patternStr); matchFound = Pattern.matches(patternStr, "i.e."); matchFound = Pattern.matches(patternStr, "ibex"); // Returns a pattern where all punctuation characters are escaped. } public static String escapeRE(String str) { Pattern escaper = Pattern.compile("([^a-zA-z0-9])"); return escaper.matcher(str).replaceAll("\\\\$1"); } }