SQL OR Operator

The OR operator in SQL combines multiple conditions in a WHERE clause. It selects rows where *at least one* of the conditions is true.

OR: Definition and Usage

OR acts as a logical disjunction. It's like saying "this condition *or* that condition (or both) must be true". If any of the conditions connected by OR is true, the entire expression is true, and the row is included in the results. Only if *all* conditions linked by `OR` are false will the row be excluded.

Syntax


SELECT column1, column2, ...
FROM table_name
WHERE condition1 OR condition2 OR condition3 ...;

Example Database: Customers Table

The examples below use this sample 'Customers' table:

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
6	Gusto Grezzo	Giovanni Rovelli	Via Degli Ortolani, 10	Reggio Emilia	42100	Italy

Examples

Simple OR Condition

This query selects customers from Germany or Spain.

Syntax


SELECT * FROM Customers
WHERE Country = 'Germany' OR Country = 'Spain';

Output


(Customers from Germany and Spain will be returned.)

Multiple OR Conditions

This query selects customers from Berlin, those whose names start with 'G', or those from Norway.

Syntax


SELECT * FROM Customers
WHERE City = 'Berlin' OR CustomerName LIKE 'G%' OR Country = 'Norway';

Output


(Customers matching any of the three conditions will be returned.)

Combining AND and OR

This example demonstrates combining AND and OR. Parentheses are crucial for correct logic.

Syntax


SELECT * FROM Customers
WHERE Country = 'Spain'
AND (CustomerName LIKE 'G%' OR CustomerName LIKE 'R%');

Output


(Spanish customers whose names start with 'G' or 'R' will be returned.)

Combining AND and OR (without parentheses - incorrect)

Illustrating the importance of parentheses. Without them, the logic changes.

Syntax


SELECT * FROM Customers
WHERE Country = 'Spain'
AND CustomerName LIKE 'G%' OR CustomerName LIKE 'R%';

Output


(This returns all customers whose names start with 'R', plus any customers from Spain whose names start with 'G'. The result is different from the previous example because of the missing parentheses.)