<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2019-08-16</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000096021</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SYSCO CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SYY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001215771</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CHARLTON ROBERT S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1390 ENCLAVE PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77077</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-08-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>18811.308</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>72164.274</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-08-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7403</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>72.25</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>64761.274</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares received upon the vesting of performance share units granted by the Compensation and Leadership Development Committee of the Company's Board of Directors (the &quot;Committee&quot;) pursuant to the 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan.  These performance share units were granted by the Committee in August 2016.  The number of shares of common stock received upon the vesting of these performance share units was determined based upon the Company's performance with regard to pre-established financial performance metrics for the performance period from fiscal 2017 to fiscal 2019.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These shares were withheld upon the vesting of performance share units to pay tax withholding obligations.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Gerald W. Clanton, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-08-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2019-08-16
0000096021
SYSCO CORP
SYY
0001215771
CHARLTON ROBERT S
1390 ENCLAVE PARKWAY
HOUSTON
TX
77077
0
1
0
0
Executive Vice President
Common Stock
2019-08-16
4
A
0
18811.308
0
A
72164.274
D
Common Stock
2019-08-16
4
F
0
7403
72.25
D
64761.274
D
Shares received upon the vesting of performance share units granted by the Compensation and Leadership Development Committee of the Company's Board of Directors (the "Committee") pursuant to the 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan.  These performance share units were granted by the Committee in August 2016.  The number of shares of common stock received upon the vesting of these performance share units was determined based upon the Company's performance with regard to pre-established financial performance metrics for the performance period from fiscal 2017 to fiscal 2019.
These shares were withheld upon the vesting of performance share units to pay tax withholding obligations.
/s/Gerald W. Clanton, Attorney-in-Fact
2019-08-19