ClickHouse/docs/en/sql-reference/statements/alter/delete.md

---
toc_priority: 39
toc_title: DELETE
---

# ALTER TABLE … DELETE Statement {#alter-mutations}

``` sql
ALTER TABLE [db.]table [ON CLUSTER cluster] DELETE WHERE filter_expr
```

Allows to delete data matching the specified filtering expression. Implemented as a [mutation](../../../sql-reference/statements/alter/index.md#mutations).

!!! note "Note"
    The `ALTER TABLE` prefix makes this syntax different from most other systems supporting SQL. It is intended to signify that unlike similar queries in OLTP databases this is a heavy operation not designed for frequent use.

The `filter_expr` must be of type `UInt8`. The query deletes rows in the table for which this expression takes a non-zero value.

One query can contain several commands separated by commas.

The synchronicity of the query processing is defined by the [mutations_sync](../../../operations/settings/settings.md#mutations_sync) setting. By default, it is asynchronous.

**See also**

-   [Mutations](../../../sql-reference/statements/alter/index.md#mutations)
-   [Synchronicity of ALTER Queries](../../../sql-reference/statements/alter/index.md#synchronicity-of-alter-queries)
-   [mutations_sync](../../../operations/settings/settings.md#mutations_sync) setting