diff --git a/docs/guide/querying.rst b/docs/guide/querying.rst
index e9e1de24..1cf5ec3c 100644
--- a/docs/guide/querying.rst
+++ b/docs/guide/querying.rst
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@ expressions:
 * ``istartswith`` -- string field starts with value (case insensitive)
 * ``endswith`` -- string field ends with value
 * ``iendswith`` -- string field ends with value (case insensitive)
+* ``wholeword`` -- string field contains whole word
+* ``iwholeword`` -- string field contains whole word (case insensitive)
+* ``regex`` -- string field match by regex
+* ``iregex`` -- string field match by regex (case insensitive)
 * ``match``  -- performs an $elemMatch so you can match an entire document within an array
 
 
diff --git a/mongoengine/fields.py b/mongoengine/fields.py
index 25bf37ef..b9c49553 100644
--- a/mongoengine/fields.py
+++ b/mongoengine/fields.py
@@ -157,10 +157,17 @@ class StringField(BaseField):
                 regex = r"%s$"
             elif op == "exact":
                 regex = r"^%s$"
+            elif op == "wholeword":
+                regex = r"\b%s\b"
+            elif op == "regex":
+                regex = value
 
             # escape unsafe characters which could lead to a re.error
-            value = re.escape(value)
-            value = re.compile(regex % value, flags)
+            if op == "regex":
+                value = re.compile(regex, flags)
+            else:
+                value = re.escape(value)
+                value = re.compile(regex % value, flags)
         return super().prepare_query_value(op, value)
 
 
@@ -1086,16 +1093,7 @@ class DictField(ComplexBaseField):
         return DictField(db_field=member_name)
 
     def prepare_query_value(self, op, value):
-        match_operators = [
-            "contains",
-            "icontains",
-            "startswith",
-            "istartswith",
-            "endswith",
-            "iendswith",
-            "exact",
-            "iexact",
-        ]
+        match_operators = [*STRING_OPERATORS]
 
         if op in match_operators and isinstance(value, str):
             return StringField().prepare_query_value(op, value)
diff --git a/mongoengine/queryset/transform.py b/mongoengine/queryset/transform.py
index 4c3d051b..cea2ef4c 100644
--- a/mongoengine/queryset/transform.py
+++ b/mongoengine/queryset/transform.py
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ STRING_OPERATORS = (
     "iendswith",
     "exact",
     "iexact",
+    "regex",
+    "iregex",
+    "wholeword",
+    "iwholeword",
 )
 CUSTOM_OPERATORS = ("match",)
 MATCH_OPERATORS = (
diff --git a/tests/queryset/test_queryset.py b/tests/queryset/test_queryset.py
index 5add0750..9a2f2862 100644
--- a/tests/queryset/test_queryset.py
+++ b/tests/queryset/test_queryset.py
@@ -1255,6 +1255,34 @@ class TestQueryset(unittest.TestCase):
         obj = self.Person.objects(name__iexact="gUIDO VAN rOSSU").first()
         assert obj is None
 
+        # Test wholeword
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__wholeword="Guido").first()
+        assert obj == person
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__wholeword="rossum").first()
+        assert obj is None
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__wholeword="Rossu").first()
+        assert obj is None
+
+        # Test iwholeword
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__iwholeword="rOSSUM").first()
+        assert obj == person
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__iwholeword="rOSSU").first()
+        assert obj is None
+
+        # Test regex
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__regex="^[Guido].*[Rossum]$").first()
+        assert obj == person
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__regex="^[guido].*[rossum]$").first()
+        assert obj is None
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__regex="^[uido].*[Rossum]$").first()
+        assert obj is None
+
+        # Test iregex
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__iregex="^[guido].*[rossum]$").first()
+        assert obj == person
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__iregex="^[Uido].*[Rossum]$").first()
+        assert obj is None
+
         # Test unsafe expressions
         person = self.Person(name="Guido van Rossum [.'Geek']")
         person.save()
@@ -1339,7 +1367,14 @@ class TestQueryset(unittest.TestCase):
         person.save()
 
         people = self.Person.objects
-        people = people.filter(name__startswith="Gui").filter(name__not__endswith="tum")
+        people = (
+            people.filter(name__startswith="Gui")
+            .filter(name__not__endswith="tum")
+            .filter(name__icontains="VAN")
+            .filter(name__regex="^Guido")
+            .filter(name__wholeword="Guido")
+            .filter(name__wholeword="van")
+        )
         assert people.count() == 1
 
     def assertSequence(self, qs, expected):