# Sort doesn't work with delete by query

**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sort-doesnt-work-with-delete-by-query/276074
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [June 16, 2021, 3:55am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sort-doesnt-work-with-delete-by-query/276074 "2021-06-16T03:55:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Deepti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Deepti](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Deepti)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2021, 3:55am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sort-doesnt-work-with-delete-by-query/276074/1 "2021-06-16T03:55:20Z")

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Iam trying to delete the oldest document in the alias by using sort ,but this deletes all the documents that matches the query.  
Is sort not supported by delete by query? Is there any other option to use in the delete by query by not using sort?

```auto
{
  "query": {
    "match": {
      "id":"101"
    }
    },
  "size": 1,
  "sort": [
    {
      "dateField": {
        "order": "asc"
      }
    }
  ]
}

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2021, 5:06am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sort-doesnt-work-with-delete-by-query/276074/2 "2021-06-16T05:06:28Z")

</div>

In [the documentation](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/docs-delete-by-query.html), it shows that `sort` is supported. But not `size`.

Instead you need to use: `max_docs`.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Deepti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Deepti](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Deepti)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2021, 5:33am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sort-doesnt-work-with-delete-by-query/276074/3 "2021-06-16T05:33:01Z")

</div>

Thanks @dadoonet

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2021, 5:33am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/sort-doesnt-work-with-delete-by-query/276074/4 "2021-07-14T05:33:50Z")

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