diff --git a/bp.1 b/bp.1
index 9a60593..8a9be7f 100644
--- a/bp.1
+++ b/bp.1
@@ -15,8 +15,13 @@ bp - Bruce\[aq]s Parsing Expression Grammar tool
 custom syntax.
 .SH OPTIONS
 .TP
-\f[B]-v\f[R], \f[B]--verbose\f[R]
-Print debugging information.
+\f[B]-p\f[R], \f[B]--pattern\f[R] \f[I]pat\f[R]
+Give a pattern in BP syntax instead of string syntax (equivalent to
+\f[B]bp \[aq]\[rs](pat)\[aq]\f[R]
+.TP
+\f[B]-w\f[R], \f[B]--word\f[R] \f[I]word\f[R]
+Surround a string pattern with word boundaries (equivalent to
+\f[B]bp \[aq]\[rs]|word\[rs]|\[aq]\f[R])
 .TP
 \f[B]-e\f[R], \f[B]--explain\f[R]
 Print a visual explanation of the matches.
@@ -73,7 +78,7 @@ Set the output format.
 includes neither, and \f[I]auto\f[R] (the default) uses \f[I]fancy\f[R]
 formatting only when the output is a TTY.
 .TP
-\f[B]--help\f[R]
+\f[B]-h\f[R], \f[B]--help\f[R]
 Print the usage and exit.
 .TP
 \f[I]pattern\f[R]
diff --git a/bp.1.md b/bp.1.md
index 8e9482d..13f98e7 100644
--- a/bp.1.md
+++ b/bp.1.md
@@ -17,8 +17,13 @@ syntax.
 
 # OPTIONS
 
-`-v`, `--verbose`
-: Print debugging information.
+`-p`, `--pattern` *pat*
+: Give a pattern in BP syntax instead of string syntax (equivalent to `bp
+'\(pat)'`
+
+`-w`, `--word` *word*
+: Surround a string pattern with word boundaries (equivalent to `bp
+'\|word\|'`)
 
 `-e`, `--explain`
 : Print a visual explanation of the matches.
@@ -69,7 +74,7 @@ occur).
 includes neither, and *auto* (the default) uses *fancy* formatting only when
 the output is a TTY.
 
-`--help`
+`-h`, `--help`
 : Print the usage and exit.
 
 *pattern*
diff --git a/bp.c b/bp.c
index b36607e..c9eb009 100644
--- a/bp.c
+++ b/bp.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ static const char *usage = (
     " -C --confirm                     ask for confirmation on each replacement\n"
     " -l --list-files                  list filenames only\n"
     " -p --pattern <pat>               provide a pattern (equivalent to bp '\\(<pat>)')\n"
+    " -w --word <string-pat>           find words matching the given string pattern\n"
     " -r --replace <replacement>       replace the input pattern with the given replacement\n"
     " -s --skip <skip-pattern>         skip over the given pattern when looking for matches\n"
     " -c --context <context>           set number of lines of context to print (all: the whole file, 0: only the match, 1: the line, N: N lines of context)\n"
@@ -559,6 +560,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                     str = after_spaces(p->end);
                 }
             }
+        } else if (FLAG("-w")     || FLAG("--word")) {
+            check_nonnegative(asprintf(&flag, "\\|%s\\|", flag), "Could not allocate memory");
+            file_t *arg_file = spoof_file(&loaded_files, "<word pattern>", flag, -1);
+            delete(&flag);
+            pat_t *p = bp_stringpattern(arg_file, arg_file->start);
+            if (!p) errx(EXIT_FAILURE, "Pattern failed to compile: %s", flag);
+            pattern = chain_together(arg_file, pattern, p);
         } else if (FLAG("-s")     || FLAG("--skip")) {
             file_t *arg_file = spoof_file(&loaded_files, "<skip argument>", flag, -1);
             pat_t *s = bp_pattern(arg_file, arg_file->start);
@@ -588,8 +596,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
             if (pattern != NULL) break;
             file_t *arg_file = spoof_file(&loaded_files, "<pattern argument>", argv[0], -1);
             pat_t *p = bp_stringpattern(arg_file, arg_file->start);
-            if (!p)
-                errx(EXIT_FAILURE, "Pattern failed to compile: %s", argv[0]);
+            if (!p) errx(EXIT_FAILURE, "Pattern failed to compile: %s", argv[0]);
             pattern = chain_together(arg_file, pattern, p);
             ++argv;
         } else {