How to use OR operator in Gmail

Question

I have a huge list of senders who I would like to filter in Gmail. If you can help me figure this out, I can finally get over this headache.

I've tried these queries.

1. from:(David Kadavy OR Lloyed from Speakeasy OR Traction Conf)

No results

2. from:David Kadavy OR from:Lloyed from Speakeasy OR from:Traction Conf

No results

3. from:david kadavy || from:lloyed from speakeasy || from:traction conf

Only searches for david kadavy

I've tried each search individually and they do return many results, so it's not that there are actually no results to show.

I have read the Gmail documentation, and it doesn't help me. https://support.google.com/mail/answer/7190?hl=en

Answer 1

The example in the Google docs is of the form:

from:amy OR from:david

So, I would certainly go with your 2nd version. However, I think it might be getting confused by the spaces (ordinarily a delimiter) so it might be searching for something like: (parentheses and AND added for clarity)

from:David AND (Kadavy OR from:Lloyed) AND from AND (Speakeasy OR from:Traction) AND Conf

Try quoting the search phrase:

from:"David Kadavy" OR from:"Lloyed from Speakeasy" OR from:"Traction Conf"

or even,

"from:David Kadavy" OR "from:Lloyed from Speakeasy" OR "from:Traction Conf"

Both quoted search phrases seem to work for me, although the former matches Google's example: subject:"dinner and a movie" so would be the preferred style.