java - is binary search more relevant while searching for a word in dictionary? -

i have written algorithm searches word in dictionary. searches 1 or 2 letters of specified length of word.

ex search:-

a**

result should be:-

aid, aim,

i have used linear search algorithm find words matches criteria. want know if binary search can used instead of linear search? if can 1 please give me hint

import java.io.file; import java.io.filenotfoundexception; import java.util.scanner;   public class cse221labassignment1 {      /**      * @param args command line arguments      */     public static final string wordlistfilename = "e:\\brac uni\\cse lab\\cse221 lab\\cse221labassignment1\\src\\cse221labassignment1\\wordlist.txt";     public static final string searchlistfilename = "e:\\brac uni\\cse lab\\cse221 lab\\cse221labassignment1\\src\\cse221labassignment1\\searchlist.txt";      public static void main(string[] args) {         // todo code application logic here         string wordlist, searchlist;         wordlist = readfile(wordlistfilename);          //reading wordlist         searchlist = readfile(searchlistfilename);      //reading searchlist         string[] w = wordlist.split("\\,");              //spliting wordlist , putting array         string[] s = searchlist.split("\\,");            //spliting searchlist , putting array         (int c = 0; c < s.length; c++) {                    //iterating through searchlist array             // string [] refinedlist=new string[w.length]; //array containing list of words matches lenght of search word.             //  int refinedcounter=0;                       //counter refinedlist array             (int = 0; < w.length; i++) {                //iterating through wordlist array                 if (s[c].length() == w[i].length()) {                    // refinedlist[refinedcounter]=w[i];                     // refinedcounter++;                     if (lettermatch(w[i], s[c])) {                         system.out.print(w[i]);                         if (i < w.length - 1) {                             system.out.print(",");                         } else {                             system.out.println(";");                         }                     }                 }              }          }     }      public static string readfile(string filename) {          scanner k = null;         try {             k = new scanner(new file(filename));         } catch (filenotfoundexception ex) {             system.out.println(ex);          }         string rt = k.nextline();         while (k.hasnextline()) {             rt = rt + "," + k.nextline(); //words seperated comma         }         return rt;      }      public static boolean lettermatch(string m, string s) {         char[] letters = m.tochararray();         char[] searchletters = s.tochararray();         boolean match = false;         int c = 0;         (; c < s.length(); c++) {             if (searchletters[c] != '*') {                 if (searchletters[c] == letters[c]) {                     match = true;                 } else {                     match = false;                 }             }         }         if (c != s.length()) {             return false;         } else {             return match;         }     }  } 

i recommend using alternative data structure of heavy lifting. try radix tree http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/radix_tree. let complete words traverse tree opposed having linear list searches.