Java - String replace exact word -

string x = "axe pickaxe"; x = x.replace("axe", "sword"); system.out.print(x); 

by code, trying replace exact word axe sword. however, if run this, prints sword picksword while print sword pickaxe only, pickaxe different word axe although contains it. how can fix this? thanks

use regex word boundaries \b:

string s = "axe pickaxe"; system.out.println(s.replaceall("\\baxe\\b", "sword")); 

the backslash boundary symbol must escaped, hence double-backslashes.