Why this happens
When a query matches a synonym that includes a stop word (for example: “the”, “of”, “in”), Algolia may process multiple equivalent variations of that query. Since stop words are ignored, the engine can evaluate several forms of the same query, both with and without the stop word.
As a result, the same synonym can be matched and suggested more than once, even though the underlying meaning of the query hasn’t changed.
Example
Suppose you have the following synonym:
"lord of the rings" <> "lotr"
If a user searches for:
lord of rings
Because “of” is a stop word, Algolia evaluates multiple equivalent versions of the same query. For example:
lord of ringslord rings
Each of these variations is then checked against your synonyms which can lead to "lotr" being suggested multiple times in the query alternatives.
Key takeaway
This behavior is expected and comes from how stop words are normalized during search. While it may appear as duplication in the UI, it does not impact the actual ranking or relevance of search results.
For a full list of common synonym issues, troubleshooting topics and best practices, see our summary article here.