# contains
contains

`contains` evaluates if the substring that you specify exists within an expression. If the expression contains the substring, contains returns true, and otherwise it returns false.

## Syntax


```
contains(expression, substring, string-comparison-mode)
```

## Arguments


 *expression*   
The expression must be a string. It can be the name of a field that uses the string data type, a literal value like **'12 Main Street'**, or a call to another function that outputs a string.

 *substring*   
The set of characters to check against the *expression*. The substring can occur one or more times in the *expression*.

 *string-comparison-mode*   
(Optional) Specifies the string comparison mode to use:  
+ `CASE_SENSITIVE` – String comparisons are case-sensitive. 
+ `CASE_INSENSITIVE` – String comparisons are case-insensitive.
This value defaults to `CASE_SENSITIVE` when blank.

## Return type


Boolean

## Examples


### Default case sensitive example


The following case sensitive example evaluates if `state_nm` contains **New**.

```
contains(state_nm, "New")
```

The following are the given field values.

```
New York
new york
```

For these field values, the following values are returned.

```
true
false
```

### Case insensitive example


The following case insensitive example evaluates if `state_nm` contains **new**.

```
contains(state_nm, "new", CASE_INSENSITIVE)
```

The following are the given field values.

```
New York
new york
```

For these field values, the following values are returned.

```
true
true
```

### Example with conditional statements


The contains function can be used as the conditional statement within the following If functions: [avgIf](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/quicksight/latest/user/avgIf-function.html), [minIf](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/quicksight/latest/user/minIf-function.html), [distinct\$1countIf](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/quicksight/latest/user/distinct_countIf-function.html), [countIf](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/quicksight/latest/user/countIf-function.html), [maxIf](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/quicksight/latest/user/maxIf-function.html), [medianIf](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/quicksight/latest/user/medianIf-function.html), [stdevIf](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/quicksight/latest/user/stdevIf-function.html), [stdevpIf](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/quicksight/latest/user/stdevpIf-function.html), [sumIf](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/quicksight/latest/user/sumIf-function.html), [varIf](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/quicksight/latest/user/varIf-function.html), and [varpIf](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/quicksight/latest/user/varpIf-function.html). 

The following example sums `Sales` only if `state_nm` contains **New**.

```
sumIf(Sales,contains(state_nm, "New"))
```

### Does NOT contain example


The conditional `NOT` operator can be used to evaluate if the expression does not contain the specified substring. 

```
NOT(contains(state_nm, "New"))
```

### Example using numeric values


Numeric values can be used in the expression or substring arguments by applying the `toString` function.

```
contains(state_nm, toString(5) )
```