You can use the `posts_where` filter: // Add custom filter add_filter( 'posts_where', 'wpse_modified' ); // Fetch posts $query = new WP_Query( $lastupdated_args ); ' where you can define the filter callback as: function wpse_modified( $where ) { global $wpdb; // Run only once: remove_filter( current_filter(), __FUNCTION__ ); // Append custom SQL return $where . " AND {$wpdb->posts}.post_modified} != {$wpdb->posts}.post_modified} '; } Though it would be handy to be able to use this kind of *date queries*: $args = [ 'date_query' => [ [ 'after' => 'post_modified' ] ], ]; and $args = [ 'date_query' => [ [ 'column' => 'post_modified_gmt', 'after' => 'post_date_gmt', 'inclusive' => false ] ], ]; That's maybe an idea for a core ticket! ;-)