import java.util.regex.*; public final class ReplaceTest2 { private static String REGEX = "a*b"; private static String INPUT = "aabfooaabfooabfoob"; private static String REPLACE = "-"; public static void main(String[] argv) { Pattern p = Pattern.compile(REGEX); Matcher m = p.matcher(INPUT); // get a matcher object INPUT = m.replaceAll(REPLACE); System.out.println(INPUT); } }