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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-12-01</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001297258</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Goetz William W</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>SVP</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-12-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>988</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>57.73</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>27917.61</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares were withheld upon the vesting of restricted stock units to pay tax withholding obligations.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Form 3 filed by the reporting person on November 17, 2017, as well as a Form 4 filed by the reporting person on November 21, 2017, inadvertently overstated by 3,588.61 shares the number of shares of common stock directly beneficially owned by the reporting person.  The correct number of shares of common stock directly beneficially owned by the reporting person was (1) 29,916.61 shares for purposes of Table I, Column 2 of the Form 3 and (2) 28,917.61 shares for purposes of Table I, Column 5 of the prior Form 4. Each of these prior Forms should be deemed corrected hereby.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Gerald W. Clanton, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-12-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2017-12-01
0000096021
SYSCO CORP
SYY
0001297258
Goetz William W
1390 ENCLAVE PARKWAY
HOUSTON
TX
77077
0
1
0
0
SVP
Common Stock
2017-12-01
4
F
0
988
57.73
D
27917.61
D
These shares were withheld upon the vesting of restricted stock units to pay tax withholding obligations.
The Form 3 filed by the reporting person on November 17, 2017, as well as a Form 4 filed by the reporting person on November 21, 2017, inadvertently overstated by 3,588.61 shares the number of shares of common stock directly beneficially owned by the reporting person.  The correct number of shares of common stock directly beneficially owned by the reporting person was (1) 29,916.61 shares for purposes of Table I, Column 2 of the Form 3 and (2) 28,917.61 shares for purposes of Table I, Column 5 of the prior Form 4. Each of these prior Forms should be deemed corrected hereby.
/s/Gerald W. Clanton, Attorney-in-Fact
2017-12-05