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title: "TRIM (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
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# TRIM (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2017-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2017-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]

Removes the space character `char(32)` or other specified characters from the start or end of a string.  
 
## Syntax   
```
TRIM ( [ characters FROM ] string ) 
```
[//]: # "[ BOTH | LEADING | TRAILING ] not yet available."

## Arguments   

characters   
Is a literal, variable, or function call of any non-LOB character type (`nvarchar`, `varchar`, `nchar`, or `char`) containing characters that should be removed. `nvarchar(max)` and `varchar(max)` types are not allowed.

string   
Is an expression of any character type (`nvarchar`, `varchar`, `nchar`, or `char`) where characters should be removed.

## Return Types   
Returns a character expression with a type of string argument where the space character `char(32)` or other specified characters are removed from both sides. Returns `NULL` if input string is `NULL`.

## Remarks   
By default `TRIM` function removes the space character `char(32)` from both sides. This is equivalent to `LTRIM(RTRIM(@string))`. Behavior of `TRIM ` function with specified characters is identical to behavior of `REPLACE` function where characters from start or end are replaced with empty strings.


## Examples
### A.  Removes the space character from both sides of string   
The following example removes spaces from before and after the word `test`.   
```sql
SELECT TRIM( '     test    ') AS Result;
```

[!INCLUDE[ssResult_md](../../includes/ssresult-md.md)]   

`test`


### B.  Removes specified characters from both sides of string   
The following example removes a trailing period and trailing spaces.
```sql
SELECT TRIM( '.,! ' FROM  '#     test    .') AS Result;
```

[!INCLUDE[ssResult_md](../../includes/ssresult-md.md)]   
`#     test`


## See Also
 [LEFT (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/left-transact-sql.md)  
 [LTRIM (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/ltrim-transact-sql.md)  
 [RIGHT (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/right-transact-sql.md)  
 [RTRIM (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/rtrim-transact-sql.md)  
 [STRING_SPLIT (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/string-split-transact-sql.md)  
 [SUBSTRING (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/substring-transact-sql.md)  
 [String Functions (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/string-functions-transact-sql.md)