MongoDB $pull Operator

Last Updated : 5 May, 2026

The $pull operator in MongoDB removes matching values from an array field during updates, enabling in-place modification of arrays without rewriting the entire document.

  • Removes all instances of specified values from an array.
  • Works on arrays inside embedded (nested) documents.
  • Leaves the array unchanged if no matching value is found.
  • Performs in-place updates; errors may still occur if the field type is invalid or the query is incorrect.

Syntax

{ $pull: { <field1>: <value|condition>, <field2>: <value|condition>, ... } }
  • <field1>, <field2>, ... specifies the array fields from which values should be removed.
  • <value | condition> defines the value or matching condition to pull from each array.

Examples of $pull Operator

To understand MongoDB $pull Operator we need a collection and some documents on which we will perform various operations and queries. Here we will consider a collection called contributor.

Screenshot-2026-02-13-154241

Example 1: Removing a Specific value

Remove the skill "Java" from all contributors who have it.

db.contributor.updateMany(
  { skills: "Java" },
  { $pull: { skills: "Java" } }
)

Output:

Screenshot-2026-02-13-154400

Example 2: Removing Multiple Values

Remove the skills "JavaScript" and "Python" from all contributors who have them.

db.contributor.updateMany(
  { skills: { $in: ["JavaScript", "Python"] } },
  { $pull: { skills: { $in: ["JavaScript", "Python"] } } }
)

Output:

Screenshot-2026-02-13-154526

Example 3: Removing Based on Condition

Remove skills that are shorter than 5 characters from all contributors.

db.contributor.updateMany(
  {},
  { $pull: { skills: { $regex: "^.{1,4}$" } } }
)

The regex "^.{1,4}$" matches strings of length 1 to 4, so $pull removes skills shorter than 5 characters.

Output:

Screenshot-2026-04-24-173449

Usage of $pull Operator

Here are some uses of $pull operator:

  • Remove specific elements from arrays for data cleanup and customization.
  • Apply conditions to match and remove elements or embedded documents within array fields.
  • Remove exact values or documents that match specified fields and values.
  • Use with update methods like updateMany() and findAndModify() as needed.
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