Phrase Match is a keyword match type that can show ads for searches that include the meaning of the keyword phrase.
It matters because paid search can spend budget quickly. Knowing this term helps teams control intent, targeting, bidding, creative, conversion tracking, and lead quality instead of optimizing for surface-level clicks.
Example
A phrase-match keyword for custom kitchen cabinets can match searches that preserve that meaning while adding detail or using different wording. The cabinetmaker checks incoming queries for buying intent rather than treating phrase match as an exact string enclosed in quotes.