How to Fix "syntax error at or near" in PostgreSQL
By Sharon Ben-Moshe · June 12, 2026 · 5 min read
Sharon Ben-Moshe is the founder of sqlfmt, a browser-based SQL formatter and validator with misspelled-keyword suggestions across PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server, and BigQuery.
PostgreSQL's "syntax error at or near" means the parser hit a token it can't place — usually just after the real mistake. The six causes, with fixes.
Quick answer
PostgreSQL raises "syntax error at or near" when its parser reads a token that cannot legally continue the statement — and the real mistake is usually one to three tokens before the one it names. To fix it, find the LINE number and caret in the error, then read to the left of the reported token for a missing or stray comma, an unbalanced quote or parenthesis, a misspelled keyword, a reserved word used as an identifier, or syntax borrowed from another SQL dialect.