Syntax options: EXCEPT | EXCEPT DISTINCT The EXCEPT DISTINCT operator is used to create a result table from the first select expression except for those row values that also occur in the second select expression. DISTINCT is the default so EXCEPT and EXCEPT DISTINCT are identical operations. EXCEPT conforms to the ANSI and ISO SQL:1999 Database Language Standard. NOTE EXCEPT is not commutative. That is, A EXCEPT B may result in a different set of rows from B EXCEPT A.