diff --git a/web/package-lock.json b/web/package-lock.json
index 1eb5ab9..ff79946 100644
--- a/web/package-lock.json
+++ b/web/package-lock.json
@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@
       "name": "alignment_search",
       "version": "0.1.0",
       "dependencies": {
+        "autosize": "^6.0.1",
         "next": "^13.2.4",
         "react": "18.2.0",
         "react-dom": "18.2.0",
+        "react-textarea-autosize": "^8.4.1",
         "zod": "^3.20.6"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
@@ -35,7 +37,6 @@
       "version": "7.21.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@babel/runtime/-/runtime-7.21.0.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-xwII0//EObnq89Ji5AKYQaRYiW/nZ3llSv29d49IuxPhKbtJoLP+9QUUZ4nVragQVtaVGeZrpB+ZtG/Pdy/POw==",
-      "dev": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "regenerator-runtime": "^0.13.11"
       },
@@ -932,6 +933,11 @@
         "postcss": "^8.1.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/autosize": {
+      "version": "6.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/autosize/-/autosize-6.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-f86EjiUKE6Xvczc4ioP1JBlWG7FKrE13qe/DxBCpe8GCipCq2nFw73aO8QEBKHfSbYGDN5eB9jXWKen7tspDqQ=="
+    },
     "node_modules/available-typed-arrays": {
       "version": "1.0.5",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/available-typed-arrays/-/available-typed-arrays-1.0.5.tgz",
@@ -3695,6 +3701,22 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-24e6ynE2H+OKt4kqsOvNd8kBpV65zoxbA4BVsEOB3ARVWQki/DHzaUoC5KuON/BiccDaCCTZBuOcfZs70kR8bQ==",
       "dev": true
     },
+    "node_modules/react-textarea-autosize": {
+      "version": "8.4.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/react-textarea-autosize/-/react-textarea-autosize-8.4.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-aD2C+qK6QypknC+lCMzteOdIjoMbNlgSFmJjCV+DrfTPwp59i/it9mMNf2HDzvRjQgKAyBDPyLJhcrzElf2U4Q==",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@babel/runtime": "^7.20.13",
+        "use-composed-ref": "^1.3.0",
+        "use-latest": "^1.2.1"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=10"
+      },
+      "peerDependencies": {
+        "react": "^16.8.0 || ^17.0.0 || ^18.0.0"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/read-cache": {
       "version": "1.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/read-cache/-/read-cache-1.0.0.tgz",
@@ -3719,8 +3741,7 @@
     "node_modules/regenerator-runtime": {
       "version": "0.13.11",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/regenerator-runtime/-/regenerator-runtime-0.13.11.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-kY1AZVr2Ra+t+piVaJ4gxaFaReZVH40AKNo7UCX6W+dEwBo/2oZJzqfuN1qLq1oL45o56cPaTXELwrTh8Fpggg==",
-      "dev": true
+      "integrity": "sha512-kY1AZVr2Ra+t+piVaJ4gxaFaReZVH40AKNo7UCX6W+dEwBo/2oZJzqfuN1qLq1oL45o56cPaTXELwrTh8Fpggg=="
     },
     "node_modules/regexp.prototype.flags": {
       "version": "1.4.3",
@@ -4290,6 +4311,43 @@
         "punycode": "^2.1.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/use-composed-ref": {
+      "version": "1.3.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/use-composed-ref/-/use-composed-ref-1.3.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-GLMG0Jc/jiKov/3Ulid1wbv3r54K9HlMW29IWcDFPEqFkSO2nS0MuefWgMJpeHQ9YJeXDL3ZUF+P3jdXlZX/cQ==",
+      "peerDependencies": {
+        "react": "^16.8.0 || ^17.0.0 || ^18.0.0"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/use-isomorphic-layout-effect": {
+      "version": "1.1.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/use-isomorphic-layout-effect/-/use-isomorphic-layout-effect-1.1.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-49L8yCO3iGT/ZF9QttjwLF/ZD9Iwto5LnH5LmEdk/6cFmXddqi2ulF0edxTwjj+7mqvpVVGQWvbXZdn32wRSHA==",
+      "peerDependencies": {
+        "react": "^16.8.0 || ^17.0.0 || ^18.0.0"
+      },
+      "peerDependenciesMeta": {
+        "@types/react": {
+          "optional": true
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/use-latest": {
+      "version": "1.2.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/use-latest/-/use-latest-1.2.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-xA+AVm/Wlg3e2P/JiItTziwS7FK92LWrDB0p+hgXloIMuVCeJJ8v6f0eeHyPZaJrM+usM1FkFfbNCrJGs8A/zw==",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "use-isomorphic-layout-effect": "^1.1.1"
+      },
+      "peerDependencies": {
+        "react": "^16.8.0 || ^17.0.0 || ^18.0.0"
+      },
+      "peerDependenciesMeta": {
+        "@types/react": {
+          "optional": true
+        }
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/util-deprecate": {
       "version": "1.0.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/util-deprecate/-/util-deprecate-1.0.2.tgz",
diff --git a/web/package.json b/web/package.json
index 42e103f..cc45b35 100644
--- a/web/package.json
+++ b/web/package.json
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@
     "start": "next start"
   },
   "dependencies": {
+    "autosize": "^6.0.1",
     "next": "^13.2.4",
     "react": "18.2.0",
     "react-dom": "18.2.0",
+    "react-textarea-autosize": "^8.4.1",
     "zod": "^3.20.6"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/web/src/pages/index.tsx b/web/src/pages/index.tsx
index 7f1d770..581e57f 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/index.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/index.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { type NextPage } from "next";
 import React from "react";
 import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
+import TextareaAutosize from 'react-textarea-autosize';
 import Head from "next/head";
 
 type Entry = {
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ const Home: NextPage = () => {
     const [ query, setQuery ] = useState("");
     const [ loading, setLoading ] = useState(false);
 
-    const inputRef = React.useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+    const inputRef = React.useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null);
 
 
     const search = async (query: string) => {
@@ -113,14 +114,19 @@ const Home: NextPage = () => {
                         await search(query);
                     }}>
 
-                        <input
-                            type="text"
-                            className="border border-gray-300 px-1 flex-1"
+                        <TextareaAutosize
+                            className="border border-gray-300 px-1 flex-1 resize-none"
                             ref={inputRef}
                             value={query}
                             onChange={(e) => setQuery(e.target.value)}
                             onKeyDown={(e) => {
+                                // if <esc>, blur the input box
                                 if (e.key === "Escape") e.currentTarget.blur();
+                                // if <enter> without <shift>, submit the form (if it's not empty)
+                                if (e.key === "Enter" && !e.shiftKey) {
+                                    e.preventDefault();
+                                    if (query.trim() !== "") search(query);
+                                }
                             }}
                         />
                         <button className="ml-2" type="submit" disabled={loading}>