diff --git a/includes/admin/core/class-admin-metabox.php b/includes/admin/core/class-admin-metabox.php
index f48dcad8..e8d54a7c 100644
--- a/includes/admin/core/class-admin-metabox.php
+++ b/includes/admin/core/class-admin-metabox.php
@@ -1187,6 +1187,7 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\admin\core\Admin_Metabox' ) ) {
 			delete_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_tagline_fields' );
 			delete_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_reveal_fields' );
 			delete_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_search_fields' );
+			delete_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_search_exclude_fields' );
 			delete_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_roles_can_search' );
 			delete_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_roles_can_filter' );
 			delete_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_show_these_users' );
diff --git a/includes/admin/templates/directory/search.php b/includes/admin/templates/directory/search.php
index 9cb32539..95b4a2b0 100644
--- a/includes/admin/templates/directory/search.php
+++ b/includes/admin/templates/directory/search.php
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ $_um_roles_search_value = empty( $_um_roles_search_value ) ? array() : $_um_role
 $_um_roles_filter_value = get_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_roles_can_filter', true );
 $_um_roles_filter_value = empty( $_um_roles_filter_value ) ? array() : $_um_roles_filter_value;
 
-$_um_search_fields  = get_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_search_fields', true );
-$_um_search_filters = get_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_search_filters', true ); ?>
+$_um_search_exclude_fields = get_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_search_exclude_fields', true );
+$_um_search_fields         = get_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_search_fields', true );
+$_um_search_filters        = get_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_search_filters', true ); ?>
 
 
 <div class="um-admin-metabox">
@@ -38,6 +39,17 @@ $_um_search_filters = get_post_meta( $post_id, '_um_search_filters', true ); ?>
 					'columns'     => 3,
 					'conditional' => array( '_um_search', '=', 1 ),
 				),
+				array(
+					'id'                  => '_um_search_exclude_fields',
+					'type'                => 'multi_selects',
+					'label'               => __( 'Choose fields to exclude from search', 'ultimate-member' ),
+					'value'               => $_um_search_exclude_fields,
+					'conditional'         => array( '_um_filters', '=', 1 ),
+					'options'             => UM()->member_directory()->filter_fields,
+					'add_text'            => __( 'Add New Custom Field to Exclude', 'ultimate-member' ),
+					'show_default_number' => 0,
+					'sorting'             => true,
+				),
 				array(
 					'id'      => '_um_filters',
 					'type'    => 'checkbox',
diff --git a/includes/core/class-member-directory.php b/includes/core/class-member-directory.php
index 81e79a6d..dc11e710 100644
--- a/includes/core/class-member-directory.php
+++ b/includes/core/class-member-directory.php
@@ -1642,10 +1642,34 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Member_Directory' ) ) {
 		 */
 		public function general_search() {
 			//general search
+			// phpcs:disable WordPress.Security.NonceVerification
 			if ( ! empty( $_POST['search'] ) ) {
 				// complex using with change_meta_sql function
 				$search = $this->prepare_search( $_POST['search'] );
 				if ( ! empty( $search ) ) {
+					$directory_id   = $this->get_directory_by_hash( sanitize_key( $_POST['directory_id'] ) );
+					$exclude_fields = get_post_meta( $directory_id, '_um_search_exclude_fields', true );
+					if ( ! empty( $exclude_fields ) ) {
+						global $wpdb;
+						$exclude_users = array();
+						$search_meta   = '%' . $wpdb->esc_like( $search ) . '%';
+						foreach ( $exclude_fields as $field ) {
+							$field_users = $wpdb->get_col(
+								$wpdb->prepare(
+									"SELECT user_id
+									FROM {$wpdb->usermeta}
+									WHERE meta_key = %s
+									AND meta_value LIKE %s",
+									$field,
+									$search_meta
+								)
+							);
+
+							$exclude_users = array_merge( $exclude_users, $field_users );
+						}
+						$exclude_users = array_unique( $exclude_users );
+					}
+
 					$meta_query = array(
 						'relation' => 'OR',
 						array(
@@ -1665,10 +1689,14 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Member_Directory' ) ) {
 					$meta_query = apply_filters( 'um_member_directory_general_search_meta_query', $meta_query, $search );
 
 					$this->query_args['meta_query'][] = $meta_query;
+					if ( ! empty( $exclude_users ) ) {
+						$this->query_args['exclude'] = $exclude_users;
+					}
 
 					$this->is_search = true;
 				}
 			}
+			// phpcs:enable WordPress.Security.NonceVerification
 		}
 
 		/**