Inside a table, a column often contains many duplicate values; and sometimes you only want to list the different (distinct) values.

distinct, separate, discrete mean not being each and every one the same. distinct indicates that something is distinguished by the mind or eye as being apart or different from others.

The adjective distinct is used to describe things that are clearly distinguished from others. How does distinct compare to synonyms different, various, and diverse?

Feb 9, 2026 · The SQL DISTINCT clause is used to remove duplicate values from query results. It ensures that the output shows only unique records for the specified column (s).

Define distinct. distinct synonyms, distinct pronunciation, distinct translation, English dictionary definition of distinct. adj. 1. Readily distinguishable from all others; discrete: on two distinct …

If something is distinct from something else of the same type, it is different or separate from it.

Distinguishing clearly; capable of receiving or characterized by definite impressions; not confused or obscure: as, distinct vision; distinct perception of right and wrong.

In SQL, the DISTINCT keyword is used to retrieve unique values from a table or a result set. It is often used in conjunction with the SELECT statement to filter out duplicate rows.

The SQL DISTINCT keyword is used in conjunction with the SELECT statement to return only unique records (different values) from a table. It eliminates duplicate rows from the result set.

Note: The DISTINCT clause behaves similar to the UNIQUE constraint, except in the way it treats nulls. Two NULL values are considered unique, while at the same time they are not …