This will work if the 'slave' cell has the A-word as the first word
=COUNTIF($A:$A,IF(ISERROR(FIND(" ",B1)),B1,LEFT(B1,FIND(" ",B1)-1)))
Suggest you copy from here to the format dialog
So with 'apple" in A, both 'apple pie' and 'apple tart' will hit the mark
but 'sour apple' will not
--
Bernard V Liengme
Microsoft Excel MVP
http://people.stfx.ca/bliengme
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"Troop" wrote in message
...
Excellent!

Now is it possible to make it check for a partial match?
So that the word 'apple sauce' for example, would come as a match if only
the word 'apple' were to be listed in the A column?

Thanks!


"Bernard Liengme" wrote:

In column A I have a list of fruits: apple, banana, pear, plum, .......
I highlighted all of B:G (I selected the column headings of these
cells),
I then used Format, Conditional Formatting with
Formula Is: =COUNTIF($A:$A,B1) and I formatted for a green background
Note that the B1 will be changed by Excel in other columns
Now when there is a word in B:G that has a match in A, the cell with that
word has a green background

I took you to mean a single word or phrase match. So "apple pie" in B
will
not go green just with "apple" somewhere in A. It would required "apple
pie"
in A.

Tell us if is satisfactory
best wishes
--
Bernard V Liengme
Microsoft Excel MVP
http://people.stfx.ca/bliengme
remove caps from email

"Troop" wrote in message
...
Hi!

I've checked a few threads on this matter, but they don't quite cover
what
I'm after.
I have an Excel document with several columns full of words and
numbers.

I have a Master column, which contains the Initial List. (A)

I want to compare all the remaining columns to A, but not to each
other.

So that for example;

B,C,D,E,F,G all compare against A and highlight within themselves, any
words
that match anything in A.
The Slave columns will continue to grow, so the Formula would be
something
that can be copied and pasted to new Columns with minimal change.
Preferably
something that checks the entire column, with no number limit, as the
columns
are of varying length.

Any help would be really, really appreciated, and I hope I've explained
myself well enough!

Thanks!!