---
title: drop_chunk() | Tiger Data Docs
description: Drop a single chunk
---

Drop a single chunk from a hypertable.

`drop_chunk()` first validates the chunk status, then if it is safe to remove, it removes both the chunk table and its entry from the chunk catalog.

You cannot drop compressed chunks directly.

## Samples

- **Drop a specific chunk by name**:

  ```
  SELECT _timescaledb_functions.drop_chunk('_timescaledb_internal._hyper_1_2_chunk');
  ```

- **Drop a chunk using a variable**:

  ```
  DO $$
  DECLARE
    chunk_name regclass;
  BEGIN
    SELECT show_chunks('conditions', older_than => INTERVAL '6 months')
    INTO chunk_name
    LIMIT 1;


    PERFORM _timescaledb_functions.drop_chunk(chunk_name);
  END $$;
  ```

## Arguments

| Name    | Type     | Default | Required | Description                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| ------- | -------- | ------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `chunk` | REGCLASS |         | ✔        | The name of the chunk to drop. You can use a schema-qualified name, such as `_timescaledb_internal._hyper_1_2_chunk`. If the chunk is in the search path, you can use the unqualified name. |

## Returns

Returns `true` when the chunk is successfully dropped.