#!/bin/bash
a='mary jane uger dodo baba'
b='mary'
c='ma'
# will match
[[ "$a" =~ "$b"( |$) ]] && echo "a matches b" || echo "a doesn't match b"
# won't match
[[ "$a" =~ "$c"( |$) ]] && echo "a matches c" || echo "a doesn't match c"
IyEvYmluL2Jhc2gKYT0nbWFyeSBqYW5lIHVnZXIgZG9kbyBiYWJhJwpiPSdtYXJ5JwpjPSdtYScKCiMgd2lsbCBtYXRjaApbWyAiJGEiID1+ICIkYiIoIHwkKSBdXSAmJiBlY2hvICJhIG1hdGNoZXMgYiIgfHwgZWNobyAiYSBkb2Vzbid0IG1hdGNoIGIiCgojIHdvbid0IG1hdGNoCltbICIkYSIgPX4gIiRjIiggfCQpIF1dICYmIGVjaG8gImEgbWF0Y2hlcyBjIiB8fCBlY2hvICJhIGRvZXNuJ3QgbWF0Y2ggYyIK