diff --git a/doc/command-line.md b/doc/command-line.md
index 2908bd18f2..05c2e22557 100644
--- a/doc/command-line.md
+++ b/doc/command-line.md
@@ -250,31 +250,45 @@ for matches to the query signature.  It can search for matches with either
 high [Jaccard similarity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaccard_index)
 or containment; the default is to use Jaccard similarity, unless
 `--containment` is specified.  `-o/--output` will create a CSV file
-containing the matches.
+containing all of the matches with respective similarity or containment score.
 
 `search` makes use of [indexed databases](#loading-many-signatures) to
 decrease search time and memory where possible.
 
 Usage:
 ```
-sourmash search query.sig [ list of signatures or SBTs ]
+sourmash search query.sig <signatures or databases>
 ```
 
 Example output:
 
 ```
-49 matches; showing first 20:
+% sourmash search tests/test-data/47.fa.sig gtdb-rs207.genomic-reps.dna.k31.zip
+
+...
+--
+loaded 65703 total signatures from 1 locations.
+after selecting signatures compatible with search, 65703 remain.
+
+2 matches above threshold 0.080:
 similarity   match
 ----------   -----
- 75.4%       NZ_JMGW01000001.1 Escherichia coli 1-176-05_S4_C2 e117605...
- 72.2%       NZ_GG774190.1 Escherichia coli MS 196-1 Scfld2538, whole ...
- 71.4%       NZ_JMGU01000001.1 Escherichia coli 2-011-08_S3_C2 e201108...
- 70.1%       NZ_JHRU01000001.1 Escherichia coli strain 100854 100854_1...
- 69.0%       NZ_JH659569.1 Escherichia coli M919 supercont2.1, whole g...
-...    
+ 32.3%       GCF_900456975.1 Shewanella baltica strain=NCTC10735, 5088...
+ 14.0%       GCF_002838165.1 Shewanella sp. Pdp11 strain=Pdp11, ASM283...
 ```
 
-Note, as of sourmash 4.2.0, `search` supports `--picklist`, to
+`search` takes a number of command line options -
+* `--containment` - find matches using the containment index rather than Jaccard similarity;
+* `--max-containment` - find matches using the max containment index rather than Jaccard similarity;
+* `-t/--threshold` - lower threshold for matching; defaults to 0.08;
+* `--best-only` - find and report only the best match;
+* `-n/--num-results` - number of matches to report to stdout; defaults to 3; 0 to report all;
+
+Match information can be saved to a CSV file with `-o/--output`; with
+`-o`, all matches above the threshold will be saved, not just those
+printed to stdout (which are limited to `-n/--num-results`).
+
+As of sourmash 4.2.0, `search` supports `--picklist`, to
 [select a subset of signatures to search, based on a CSV file](#using-picklists-to-subset-large-collections-of-signatures). This
 can be used to search only a small subset of a large collection, or to
 exclude a few signatures from a collection, without modifying the
diff --git a/src/sourmash/cli/search.py b/src/sourmash/cli/search.py
index 7fc17f5d2e..96ac30ab4b 100644
--- a/src/sourmash/cli/search.py
+++ b/src/sourmash/cli/search.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def subparser(subparsers):
         help='output debug information'
     )
     subparser.add_argument(
-        '--threshold', metavar='T', default=0.08, type=float,
+        '-t', '--threshold', metavar='T', default=0.08, type=float,
         help='minimum threshold for reporting matches; default=0.08'
     )
     subparser.add_argument(
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def subparser(subparsers):
     )
     subparser.add_argument(
         '-n', '--num-results', default=3, type=int, metavar='N',
-        help='number of results to report'
+        help='number of results to display to user; 0 to report all'
     )
     subparser.add_argument(
         '--containment', action='store_true',
diff --git a/src/sourmash/commands.py b/src/sourmash/commands.py
index 910ee3c602..8d7bc9d221 100644
--- a/src/sourmash/commands.py
+++ b/src/sourmash/commands.py
@@ -538,10 +538,10 @@ def search(args):
         args.num_results = 1
 
     if not args.num_results or n_matches <= args.num_results:
-        print_results('{} matches:'.format(len(results)))
+        print_results(f'{len(results)} matches above threshold {args.threshold:0.3f}:')
     else:
-        print_results('{} matches; showing first {}:',
-               len(results), args.num_results)
+        print_results(f'{len(results)} matches above threshold {args.threshold:0.3f}; showing first {args.num_results}:')
+
         n_matches = args.num_results
 
     size_may_be_inaccurate = False
@@ -588,6 +588,7 @@ def search(args):
     if jaccard_ani_untrustworthy:
         notify("WARNING: Jaccard estimation for at least one of these comparisons is likely inaccurate. Could not estimate ANI for these comparisons.")
 
+
 def categorize(args):
     "Use a database to find the best match to many signatures."
     from .index import MultiIndex
diff --git a/tests/test_cmd_signature.py b/tests/test_cmd_signature.py
index d212a49fff..4c67c7dbc2 100644
--- a/tests/test_cmd_signature.py
+++ b/tests/test_cmd_signature.py
@@ -3596,7 +3596,7 @@ def test_import_mash_csv_to_sig(runtmp):
 
     print("RUNTEMP", runtmp)
 
-    assert '1 matches:' in runtmp.last_result.out
+    assert '1 matches' in runtmp.last_result.out
     assert '100.0%       short.fa' in runtmp.last_result.out
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_index.py b/tests/test_index.py
index ad04598db1..a8a9524bbb 100644
--- a/tests/test_index.py
+++ b/tests/test_index.py
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ def test_zipfile_protein_command_search(runtmp):
     db_out = utils.get_test_data('prot/protein.zip')
 
     c.run_sourmash('search', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
-    assert '2 matches:' in c.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches' in c.last_result.out
 
     c.run_sourmash('gather', sigfile1, db_out)
     assert 'found 1 matches total' in c.last_result.out
@@ -703,7 +703,7 @@ def test_zipfile_hp_command_search(runtmp):
     db_out = utils.get_test_data('prot/hp.zip')
 
     c.run_sourmash('search', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
-    assert '2 matches:' in c.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches' in c.last_result.out
 
     c.run_sourmash('gather', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
     assert 'found 1 matches total' in c.last_result.out
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ def test_zipfile_dayhoff_command_search(runtmp):
     db_out = utils.get_test_data('prot/dayhoff.zip')
 
     c.run_sourmash('search', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
-    assert '2 matches:' in c.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches' in c.last_result.out
 
     c.run_sourmash('gather', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
     assert 'found 1 matches total' in c.last_result.out
@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ def test_zipfile_protein_command_search_combined(runtmp):
     db_out = utils.get_test_data('prot/all.zip')
 
     c.run_sourmash('search', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
-    assert '2 matches:' in c.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches' in c.last_result.out
 
     c.run_sourmash('gather', sigfile1, db_out)
     assert 'found 1 matches total' in c.last_result.out
@@ -748,7 +748,7 @@ def test_zipfile_hp_command_search_combined(runtmp):
     db_out = utils.get_test_data('prot/all.zip')
 
     c.run_sourmash('search', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
-    assert '2 matches:' in c.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches' in c.last_result.out
 
     c.run_sourmash('gather', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
     assert 'found 1 matches total' in c.last_result.out
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ def test_zipfile_dayhoff_command_search_combined(runtmp):
     db_out = utils.get_test_data('prot/all.zip')
 
     c.run_sourmash('search', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
-    assert '2 matches:' in c.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches' in c.last_result.out
 
     c.run_sourmash('gather', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
     assert 'found 1 matches total' in c.last_result.out
diff --git a/tests/test_lca.py b/tests/test_lca.py
index 3ac721287d..e585d6f835 100644
--- a/tests/test_lca.py
+++ b/tests/test_lca.py
@@ -2659,7 +2659,7 @@ def test_lca_db_protein_command_search(c):
     db_out = utils.get_test_data('prot/protein.lca.json.gz')
 
     c.run_sourmash('search', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
-    assert '2 matches:' in c.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches' in c.last_result.out
 
     c.run_sourmash('gather', sigfile1, db_out)
     assert 'found 1 matches total' in c.last_result.out
@@ -2770,7 +2770,7 @@ def test_lca_db_hp_command_search(c):
     db_out = utils.get_test_data('prot/hp.lca.json.gz')
 
     c.run_sourmash('search', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
-    assert '2 matches:' in c.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches' in c.last_result.out
 
     c.run_sourmash('gather', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
     assert 'found 1 matches total' in c.last_result.out
@@ -2881,7 +2881,7 @@ def test_lca_db_dayhoff_command_search(c):
     db_out = utils.get_test_data('prot/dayhoff.lca.json.gz')
 
     c.run_sourmash('search', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
-    assert '2 matches:' in c.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches' in c.last_result.out
 
     c.run_sourmash('gather', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
     assert 'found 1 matches total' in c.last_result.out
diff --git a/tests/test_sbt.py b/tests/test_sbt.py
index 3c83915e9c..a66d0c634e 100644
--- a/tests/test_sbt.py
+++ b/tests/test_sbt.py
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ def test_sbt_protein_command_search(c):
     db_out = utils.get_test_data('prot/protein.sbt.zip')
 
     c.run_sourmash('search', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
-    assert '2 matches:' in c.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches' in c.last_result.out
 
     c.run_sourmash('gather', sigfile1, db_out)
     assert 'found 1 matches total' in c.last_result.out
@@ -1096,7 +1096,7 @@ def test_sbt_hp_command_search(c):
     db_out = utils.get_test_data('prot/hp.sbt.zip')
 
     c.run_sourmash('search', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
-    assert '2 matches:' in c.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches' in c.last_result.out
 
     c.run_sourmash('gather', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
     assert 'found 1 matches total' in c.last_result.out
@@ -1143,7 +1143,7 @@ def test_sbt_dayhoff_command_search(c):
     db_out = utils.get_test_data('prot/dayhoff.sbt.zip')
 
     c.run_sourmash('search', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
-    assert '2 matches:' in c.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches' in c.last_result.out
 
     c.run_sourmash('gather', sigfile1, db_out, '--threshold', '0.0')
     assert 'found 1 matches total' in c.last_result.out
diff --git a/tests/test_sourmash.py b/tests/test_sourmash.py
index 0689ef4046..5588ffc2c0 100644
--- a/tests/test_sourmash.py
+++ b/tests/test_sourmash.py
@@ -1371,7 +1371,7 @@ def test_do_sourmash_sbt_search_check_bug(runtmp):
 
     runtmp.sourmash('search', testdata1, 'zzz')
 
-    assert '1 matches:' in runtmp.last_result.out
+    assert '1 matches' in runtmp.last_result.out
 
     tree = load_sbt_index(runtmp.output('zzz.sbt.zip'))
     assert tree._nodes[0].metadata['min_n_below'] == 431
@@ -1390,7 +1390,7 @@ def test_do_sourmash_sbt_search_empty_sig(runtmp):
 
     runtmp.sourmash('search', testdata1, 'zzz')
 
-    assert '1 matches:' in runtmp.last_result.out
+    assert '1 matches' in runtmp.last_result.out
 
     tree = load_sbt_index(runtmp.output('zzz.sbt.zip'))
     assert tree._nodes[0].metadata['min_n_below'] == 1
@@ -1821,7 +1821,7 @@ def test_search_3(runtmp):
     runtmp.sourmash('search', '-n', '1', 'short.fa.sig', 'short2.fa.sig', 'short3.fa.sig')
 
     print(runtmp.last_result.status, runtmp.last_result.out, runtmp.last_result.err)
-    assert '2 matches; showing first 1' in runtmp.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 1:' in runtmp.last_result.out
 
 
 def test_search_4(runtmp):
@@ -1834,11 +1834,21 @@ def test_search_4(runtmp):
     runtmp.sourmash('search', '-n', '0', 'short.fa.sig', 'short2.fa.sig', 'short3.fa.sig')
 
     print(runtmp.last_result.status, runtmp.last_result.out, runtmp.last_result.err)
-    assert '2 matches:' in runtmp.last_result.out
+    assert '2 matches above threshold 0.080:' in runtmp.last_result.out
     assert 'short2.fa' in runtmp.last_result.out
     assert 'short3.fa' in runtmp.last_result.out
 
 
+def test_search_5_num_results(runtmp):
+    query = utils.get_test_data('gather/combined.sig')
+    against = glob.glob(utils.get_test_data('gather/GCF*.sig'))
+
+    runtmp.sourmash('search', '-n', '5', query, *against)
+
+    print(runtmp.last_result.status, runtmp.last_result.out, runtmp.last_result.err)
+    assert '12 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 5:' in runtmp.last_result.out
+
+
 def test_index_check_scaled_bounds_negative(runtmp):
     with pytest.raises(SourmashCommandFailed):
         runtmp.sourmash('index', 'zzz', 'short.fa.sig', 'short2.fa.sig', '-k', '31', '--scaled', '-5', '--dna')
@@ -1889,7 +1899,7 @@ def test_index_metagenome_fromfile(c):
     print(c.last_result.err)
 
     assert ' 33.2%       NC_003198.1 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar T...' in out
-    assert '12 matches; showing first 3:' in out
+    assert '12 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 3:' in out
 
 @utils.in_tempdir
 def test_index_metagenome_fromfile_no_cmdline_sig(c):
@@ -1918,7 +1928,7 @@ def test_index_metagenome_fromfile_no_cmdline_sig(c):
     print(c.last_result.err)
 
     assert ' 33.2%       NC_003198.1 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar T' in out
-    assert '12 matches; showing first 3:' in out
+    assert '12 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 3:' in out
 
 
 def test_search_metagenome(runtmp):
@@ -1941,7 +1951,7 @@ def test_search_metagenome(runtmp):
     print(runtmp.last_result.err)
 
     assert ' 33.2%       NC_003198.1 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar T' in runtmp.last_result.out
-    assert '12 matches; showing first 3:' in runtmp.last_result.out
+    assert '12 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 3:' in runtmp.last_result.out
 
 
 def test_search_metagenome_traverse(runtmp):
@@ -1955,7 +1965,7 @@ def test_search_metagenome_traverse(runtmp):
     print(runtmp.last_result.err)
 
     assert ' 33.2%       NC_003198.1 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar T' in runtmp.last_result.out
-    assert '13 matches; showing first 3:' in runtmp.last_result.out
+    assert '13 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 3:' in runtmp.last_result.out
 
 
 def test_search_metagenome_traverse_check_csv(runtmp):
@@ -1983,7 +1993,7 @@ def test_search_metagenome_traverse_check_csv(runtmp):
             assert len(filename) > prefix_len
 
     assert ' 33.2%       NC_003198.1 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar T' in runtmp.last_result.out
-    assert '13 matches; showing first 3:' in runtmp.last_result.out
+    assert '13 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 3:' in runtmp.last_result.out
 
 
 @utils.in_thisdir
@@ -2104,7 +2114,7 @@ def test_search_metagenome_sbt_downsample_nofail(runtmp):
     assert runtmp.last_result.status == 0
     assert "ERROR: cannot use 'gcf_all' for this query." in runtmp.last_result.err
     assert "search scaled value 100000 is less than database scaled value of 10000" in runtmp.last_result.err
-    assert "0 matches:" in runtmp.last_result.out
+    assert "0 matches" in runtmp.last_result.out
 
 
 def test_search_metagenome_downsample_containment(runtmp):
@@ -2127,7 +2137,7 @@ def test_search_metagenome_downsample_containment(runtmp):
     print(runtmp.last_result.err)
 
     assert ' 32.9%       NC_003198.1 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar T' in runtmp.last_result.out
-    assert '12 matches; showing first 3:' in runtmp.last_result.out
+    assert '12 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 3:' in runtmp.last_result.out
 
 
 @utils.in_tempdir
@@ -2154,7 +2164,7 @@ def test_search_metagenome_downsample_index(c):
         c)
     assert ' 29.7%       NC_003197.2 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar T' in str(
         c)
-    assert '12 matches; showing first 3:' in str(c)
+    assert '12 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 3:' in str(c)
 
 
 def test_search_with_picklist(runtmp):
@@ -2174,7 +2184,7 @@ def test_search_with_picklist(runtmp):
 
     out = runtmp.last_result.out
     print(out)
-    assert "3 matches:" in out
+    assert "3 matches" in out
     assert "13.1%       NC_000853.1 Thermotoga" in out
     assert "13.0%       NC_009486.1 Thermotoga" in out
     assert "12.8%       NC_011978.1 Thermotoga" in out
@@ -2196,7 +2206,7 @@ def test_search_with_picklist_exclude(runtmp):
 
     out = runtmp.last_result.out
     print(out)
-    assert "9 matches; showing first 3:" in out
+    assert "9 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 3:" in out
     assert "33.2%       NC_003198.1 Salmonella" in out
     assert "33.1%       NC_003197.2 Salmonella" in out
     assert "32.2%       NC_006905.1 Salmonella" in out
@@ -2215,7 +2225,7 @@ def test_search_with_pattern_include(runtmp):
 
     out = runtmp.last_result.out
     print(out)
-    assert "3 matches:" in out
+    assert "3 matches" in out
     assert "13.1%       NC_000853.1 Thermotoga" in out
     assert "13.0%       NC_009486.1 Thermotoga" in out
     assert "12.8%       NC_011978.1 Thermotoga" in out
@@ -2234,7 +2244,7 @@ def test_search_with_pattern_exclude(runtmp):
 
     out = runtmp.last_result.out
     print(out)
-    assert "9 matches; showing first 3:" in out
+    assert "9 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 3:" in out
     assert "33.2%       NC_003198.1 Salmonella" in out
     assert "33.1%       NC_003197.2 Salmonella" in out
     assert "32.2%       NC_006905.1 Salmonella" in out
@@ -2285,7 +2295,7 @@ def test_mash_csv_to_sig(runtmp):
     runtmp.sourmash('search', '-k', '31', 'short.fa.sig', 'xxx.sig')
 
     print(runtmp.last_result.status, runtmp.last_result.out, runtmp.last_result.err)
-    assert '1 matches:' in runtmp.last_result.out
+    assert '1 matches' in runtmp.last_result.out
     assert '100.0%       short.fa' in runtmp.last_result.out
 
 
@@ -5281,7 +5291,7 @@ def test_index_matches_search_with_picklist(runtmp):
 
     out = runtmp.last_result.out
     print(out)
-    assert "3 matches:" in out
+    assert "3 matches" in out
     assert "13.1%       NC_000853.1 Thermotoga" in out
     assert "13.0%       NC_009486.1 Thermotoga" in out
     assert "12.8%       NC_011978.1 Thermotoga" in out
@@ -5322,7 +5332,7 @@ def test_index_matches_search_with_picklist_exclude(runtmp):
 
     out = runtmp.last_result.out
     print(out)
-    assert "10 matches; showing first 3:" in out
+    assert "10 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 3:" in out
     assert "100.0%       -" in out
     assert "33.2%       NC_003198.1 Salmonella" in out
     assert "33.1%       NC_003197.2 Salmonella" in out
@@ -5564,7 +5574,7 @@ def test_gather_with_prefetch_picklist_5_search(runtmp):
     out = runtmp.last_result.out
     print(out)
 
-    assert "12 matches; showing first 3:" in out
+    assert "12 matches above threshold 0.080; showing first 3:" in out
     assert " 33.2%       NC_003198.1 Salmonella enterica subsp." in out
 
     # now, do a gather with the results