Abstract: A system and method for processing, searching, and performing in-context searches on named annotated text string databases. The system and method provides users with a means for interactively refining database searches in order to account for differences in keywords used to describe similar phenomena. The system and method provides a means for performing searches for particular predefined target strings in context of particular predefined context strings. Data is represented using data types referred to as Hits and E-Hits. Hits data contains locations of search results and the E-Hits data contains text of search results. Hits lists are sorted and duplicate entries are discarded. Context search results are segregated from non-context search results by sorting the Hits lists. The Search module operates on a Hits list and selects those elements that match one or more search key(s). The output from a Search module is a Results Hits list.