diff --git a/docs/reference/search.asciidoc b/docs/reference/search.asciidoc
index f08a10aeb646b..c73642c67131a 100644
--- a/docs/reference/search.asciidoc
+++ b/docs/reference/search.asciidoc
@@ -119,10 +119,14 @@ Individual searches can have a timeout as part of the
 <<search-request-body>>. Since search requests can originate from many
 sources, Elasticsearch has a dynamic cluster-level setting for a global
 search timeout that applies to all search requests that do not set a
-timeout in the <<search-request-body>>. The default value is no global
-timeout. The setting key is `search.default_search_timeout` and can be
-set using the <<cluster-update-settings>> endpoints. Setting this value
-to `-1` resets the global search timeout to no timeout.
+timeout in the request body. These requests will be cancelled after
+the specified time using the mechanism described in the following section on
+<<global-search-cancellation>>. Therefore the same caveats about timeout
+responsiveness apply.
+
+The setting key is `search.default_search_timeout` and can be set using the
+<<cluster-update-settings>> endpoints. The default value is no global timeout.
+Setting this value to `-1` resets the global search timeout to no timeout.
 
 [float]
 [[global-search-cancellation]]
diff --git a/docs/reference/search/request-body.asciidoc b/docs/reference/search/request-body.asciidoc
index ad24d9c93c6b6..5be54662d012c 100644
--- a/docs/reference/search/request-body.asciidoc
+++ b/docs/reference/search/request-body.asciidoc
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ And here is a sample response:
 
     A search timeout, bounding the search request to be executed within the
     specified time value and bail with the hits accumulated up to that point
-    when expired. Defaults to no timeout. See <<time-units>>.
+    when expired. Search requests are canceled after the timeout is reached using
+    the <<global-search-cancellation>> mechanism.
+    Defaults to no timeout. See <<time-units>>.
 
 `from`::