SQL NOT Operator


The NOT Operator

The NOT operator is used in combination with other operators to give the opposite result, also called the negative result.

In the select statement below we want to return all customers that are NOT from Spain:

Example

Select only the customers that are NOT from Spain:

SELECT * FROM Customers
WHERE NOT Country = 'Spain';
Try it Yourself »

In the example above, the NOT operator is used in combination with the = operator, but it can be used in combination with other comparison and/or logical operators. See examples below.


Syntax

SELECT column1, column2, ...
FROM table_name
WHERE NOT condition;


Demo Database

Below is a selection from the Customers table used in the examples:

CustomerID CustomerName ContactName Address City PostalCode Country
1

Alfreds Futterkiste Maria Anders Obere Str. 57 Berlin 12209 Germany
2 Ana Trujillo Emparedados y helados Ana Trujillo Avda. de la Constitución 2222 México D.F. 05021 Mexico
3 Antonio Moreno Taquería Antonio Moreno Mataderos 2312 México D.F. 05023 Mexico
4

Around the Horn Thomas Hardy 120 Hanover Sq. London WA1 1DP UK
5 Berglunds snabbköp Christina Berglund Berguvsvägen 8 Luleå S-958 22 Sweden


NOT LIKE

Example

Select customers that does not start with the letter 'A':

SELECT * FROM Customers
WHERE CustomerName NOT LIKE 'A%';
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NOT BETWEEN

Example

Select customers with a customerID not between 10 and 60:

SELECT * FROM Customers
WHERE CustomerID NOT BETWEEN 10 AND 60;
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NOT IN

Example

Select customers that are not from Paris or London:

SELECT * FROM Customers
WHERE City NOT IN ('Paris', 'London');
Try it Yourself »

NOT Greater Than

Example

Select customers with a CustomerId not greater than 50:

SELECT * FROM Customers
WHERE NOT CustomerID > 50;
Try it Yourself »

Note: There is a not-greater-then operator: !> that would give you the same result.


NOT Less Than

Example

Select customers with a CustomerID not less than 50:

SELECT * FROM Customers
WHERE NOT CustomerId < 50;
Try it Yourself »

Note: There is a not-less-then operator: !< that would give you the same result.


Test Yourself With Exercises

Exercise:

Use the NOT keyword to select all records where City is NOT "Berlin".

SELECT * FROM Customers
 = '';

Start the Exercise


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