reference/sql/DROP-OPERATOR.html.md.erb

---
title: DROP OPERATOR
---

Removes an operator.

## <a id="topic1__section2"></a>Synopsis

``` pre
DROP OPERATOR [IF EXISTS] <name> ( {<lefttype> | NONE} , 
    {<righttype> | NONE} ) [CASCADE | RESTRICT]
```

## <a id="topic1__section3"></a>Description

`DROP OPERATOR` drops an existing operator from the database system. To execute this command you must be the owner of the operator.

## <a id="topic1__section4"></a>Parameters

<dt>IF EXISTS  </dt>
<dd>Do not throw an error if the operator does not exist. A notice is issued in this case.</dd>

<dt>\<name\>   </dt>
<dd>The name (optionally schema-qualified) of an existing operator.</dd>

<dt>\<lefttype\>  </dt>
<dd>The data type of the operator's left operand; write `NONE` if the operator has no left operand.</dd>

<dt>\<righttype\> </dt>
<dd>The data type of the operator's right operand; write `NONE` if the operator has no right operand.</dd>

<dt>CASCADE  </dt>
<dd>Automatically drop objects that depend on the operator.</dd>

<dt>RESTRICT  </dt>
<dd>Refuse to drop the operator if any objects depend on it. This is the default.</dd>

## <a id="topic1__section5"></a>Examples

Remove the power operator `a^b` for type `integer`:

``` pre
DROP OPERATOR ^ (integer, integer);
```

Remove the left unary bitwise complement operator `~b` for type `bit`:

``` pre
DROP OPERATOR ~ (none, bit);
```

Remove the right unary factorial operator `x!` for type `bigint`:

``` pre
DROP OPERATOR ! (bigint, none);
```

## <a id="topic1__section6"></a>Compatibility

There is no `DROP OPERATOR` statement in the SQL standard.

## <a id="topic1__section7"></a>See Also

[ALTER OPERATOR](ALTER-OPERATOR.html), [CREATE OPERATOR](CREATE-OPERATOR.html)