1. A method within a hybrid ternary content addressable memory (TCAM), the method comprising: comparing a first portion of a search word to a first portion of a stored word in a first TCAM stage; and comparing a second portion of the search word to a second portion of the stored word in a second TCAM stage when the first portion of the search word matches the first portion of the stored word, the first TCAM stage being different from the second TCAM stage.