SQL LIKE Operator
The SQL LIKE Operator
The LIKE operator is used in a WHERE clause to search for a specified pattern in a column.
There are two wildcards used in conjunction with the LIKE operator:
- % - The percent sign represents zero, one, or multiple characters
- _ - The underscore represents a single character
Note: MS Access uses a question mark (?) instead of the underscore (_).
The percent sign and the underscore can also be used in combinations!
LIKE Syntax
SELECT column1, column2, ...
FROM table_name
WHERE columnN LIKE pattern;Tip: You can also combine any number of conditions using AND or OR operators.
Here are some examples showing different LIKE operators with '%' and '_' wildcards:
| LIKE Operator | Description |
|---|---|
| WHERE CustomerName LIKE 'a%' | Finds any values that start with "a" |
| WHERE CustomerName LIKE '%a' | Finds any values that end with "a" |
| WHERE CustomerName LIKE '%or%' | Finds any values that have "or" in any position |
| WHERE CustomerName LIKE '_r%' | Finds any values that have "r" in the second position |
| WHERE CustomerName LIKE 'a_%_%' | Finds any values that start with "a" and are at least 3 characters in length |
| WHERE ContactName LIKE 'a%o' | Finds any values that start with "a" and ends with "o" |
Demo Database
Below is a selection from the "Customers" table in the Northwind sample database:
| 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 |
SQL LIKE Examples
The following SQL statement selects all customers with a CustomerName starting with "a":
The following SQL statement selects all customers with a CustomerName ending with "a":
The following SQL statement selects all customers with a CustomerName that have "or" in any position:
The following SQL statement selects all customers with a CustomerName that have "r" in the second position:
The following SQL statement selects all customers with a CustomerName that starts with "a" and are at least 3 characters in length:
The following SQL statement selects all customers with a ContactName that starts with "a" and ends with "o":
The following SQL statement selects all customers with a CustomerName that does NOT start with "a":
