diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/SortOrder.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/SortOrder.scala
index f498f357924d0f17e7348956a81d8b9bffce8dd4..de779ed3702d370121c44e44911250cc2bf5808c 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/SortOrder.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/SortOrder.scala
@@ -61,9 +61,6 @@ case class SortOrder(child: Expression, direction: SortDirection)
   override def sql: String = child.sql + " " + direction.sql
 
   def isAscending: Boolean = direction == Ascending
-
-  def semanticEquals(other: SortOrder): Boolean =
-    (direction == other.direction) && child.semanticEquals(other.child)
 }
 
 /**