c:\@Work\Perl\monks>perl -wMstrict -le "my @db_description=( 'MOVE 3-4 STEPS TO GB FIXTURE', 'WITHIN REACH TO CHECK', 'GET BEAM', 'PUSH/PULL ( >= 30 CM)', 'BEAM 2-3 TIMES', 'MOVE 8-10 STEPS TO HOIST', ); ;; my @steps_name = ('1-2 Steps', '5-7 Steps', '8-10 Steps', '11-15 Steps'); ;; for my $s_name (@steps_name) { if (grep { /(?i)\Q$s_name\E/ } @db_description) { print qq{'$s_name' FOUND}; } else { print qq{'$s_name' not found}; } } " '1-2 Steps' not found '5-7 Steps' not found '8-10 Steps' FOUND '11-15 Steps' not found