diff --git a/app/components/autocomplete_component.rb b/app/components/autocomplete_component.rb
index 7ab304bb6..1a257bc31 100644
--- a/app/components/autocomplete_component.rb
+++ b/app/components/autocomplete_component.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ class AutocompleteComponent < ApplicationComponent
   attr_reader :autocomplete_service
 
   delegate :humanized_number, to: :helpers
-  delegate :autocomplete_results, to: :autocomplete_service
+  delegate :autocomplete_results, :query, :metatag, to: :autocomplete_service
 
   def initialize(autocomplete_service:)
     @autocomplete_service = autocomplete_service
@@ -20,4 +20,62 @@ class AutocompleteComponent < ApplicationComponent
       link_to posts_path(tags: result.value), class: "tag-type-#{result.category}", "@click.prevent": "", &block
     end
   end
+
+  def highlight_antecedent(result)
+    if result.type == "tag-word"
+      highlight_matching_words(result.antecedent, query)
+    else
+      highlight_wildcard_match(result.antecedent, query)
+    end
+  end
+
+  def highlight_result(result)
+    if result.type == "tag-word"
+      highlight_matching_words(result.value, query)
+    elsif metatag.present? && metatag.value.include?("*")
+      highlight_wildcard_match(result.label, metatag.value)
+    elsif metatag.present? && metatag.name.in?(%w[pool favgroup])
+      highlight_wildcard_match(result.label, "*" + metatag.value + "*")
+    elsif metatag.present?
+      highlight_wildcard_match(result.label, metatag.value + "*")
+    else
+      highlight_wildcard_match(result.value, query)
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Highlight the words in the `target` string matching the words in the search `pattern`.
+  #
+  # highlight_matching_words("very_long_hair", "long_ha*") => "<span>very_</span><b>long</b><span>_</span><b>hair</b>"
+  def highlight_matching_words(target, pattern)
+    pattern_words = Tag.parse_query(pattern)
+    pattern_words.sort_by! { |word| [word.include?("*") ? 0 : 1, -word.size] }
+
+    target_words = Tag.split_words(target)
+    target_words.map do |word|
+      pat = pattern_words.find { |pat| word.ilike?(pat) }
+      highlight_wildcard_match(word, pat)
+    end.join("").html_safe
+  end
+
+  # Highlight the parts of the `target` string that match the wildcard search `pattern`.
+  #
+  # highlight_wildcard_match("very_long_hair", "*long*") => "<span>very_</span><b>long</b><span>_hair</span>"
+  def highlight_wildcard_match(target, pattern)
+    return tag.span(target.tr("_", " ")) if !target.ilike?(pattern.to_s)
+
+    words = pattern.split(/(\*)/).compact_blank # "*black*" => ["*", "black", "*"]
+    regexp = words.map { |w| w == "*" ? "(.*)" : "(#{Regexp.escape(w)})" }.join # "*black*" => "(.*)(black)(.*)"
+    regexp = Regexp.new(regexp, "i")
+    captures = target.match(regexp).captures # "black_thighhighs" =~ /(.*)(black)(.*)/ => ["", "black", "_thighhighs"]
+
+    captures.zip(words).map do |substring, word|
+      if substring == ""
+        ""
+      elsif word == "*"
+        tag.span(substring.tr("_", " "))
+      else
+        tag.b(substring.tr("_", " "))
+      end
+    end.join.html_safe
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/components/autocomplete_component/autocomplete_component.html.erb b/app/components/autocomplete_component/autocomplete_component.html.erb
index 992742dcc..335bad548 100644
--- a/app/components/autocomplete_component/autocomplete_component.html.erb
+++ b/app/components/autocomplete_component/autocomplete_component.html.erb
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@
       <div class="ui-menu-item-wrapper" tabindex="-1">
         <%= link_to_result result do %>
           <% if result.antecedent.present? %>
-            <span class="autocomplete-antecedent"><%= result.antecedent.tr("_", " ") %></span>
+            <span class="autocomplete-antecedent"><%= highlight_antecedent(result) %></span>
             <span class="autocomplete-arrow">→</span>
+            <%= result.label %>
+          <% else %>
+            <%= highlight_result(result) %>
           <% end %>
-
-          <%= result.label %>
         <% end %>
 
         <% if result.post_count %>