1. A computer-implemented method for context-sensitive searching of fields of a data repository using multiple levels of term expansion, comprising configuring one or more computer processors to perform an operation comprising: receiving, from a user, a relational database query containing a plurality of conditions, wherein at least one condition is a condition for searching at least one field of the data repository, wherein the at least one condition includes at least one base search term providing a keyword to search for in an unstructured text field of the data repository; providing a plurality of sets of expanded search terms for the base search term, each set corresponding to a different level of expansion of a plurality of levels of expansions ranging from a lowest level of expansion to a highest level of expansion, and each set comprising all expanded search terms from any lower level of expansion; obtaining one or more parameters associated with the base search term, wherein the one or more parameters associated with the base search term comprise a user-specified level of expansion selected from the defined plurality of levels of expansions and further include at least a credential associated with the user and a role associated with the user; obtaining, based at least in part on the user-specified level of expansion and the credential associated with the user and the role associated with the user, one or more expanded search terms, wherein obtaining the one or more expanded search terms comprises selecting a set of expanded search terms from the plurality of sets of expanded search terms; and prior to executing the relational database query, modifying the relational-database query to contain one or more additional conditions based on the one or more expanded search terms and by operation of the one or more computer processors.