<?php
function highlight_search($search_words, $message)
{
$bgcolor = "yellow";
foreach ($search_words as $search_word)
{
$message = eregi_replace("($search_word)", "<span style=\"background-color: $bgcolor;\">\\1</span>", $message);
};
return $message;
};

$message = "some sample text to search and to highlight and stop";
$search = "to";

print highlight_search(explode(" ", $search), $message);
?>