 <p>You want to search and replace with the empty string using this regex:</p> <pre><code>\^([^^]*?)(?=[.,:;?"' ]) </code></pre> <p>You can see which portions you will be replacing, as well as a detailed visual of what's going on with the regex, on <a href="http://www.debuggex.com/?re=%5C%5E%28%5B%5E%5E%5D%2a?%29%28?=%5B.,%3a;?%22%27%20%5D%29&amp;str=I%27m%20baffled%5Ebemused%20by%20his%20decision.%0D%0A%22Why%20are%20you%20so%20mean%5Enasty?%22%20she%20wailed%5Emoaned." rel="nofollow">www.debuggex.com</a>.</p>