In SQL, the `OR` operator is used to combine multiple conditions in a query’s WHERE clause, allowing records to be selected if any of the specified conditions are true. For instance, when you’re looking to retrieve data from a database where either of two criteria must be satisfied, you can use the `OR` operator to simplify your logic. For example, the statement `SELECT * FROM employees WHERE department = ‘Sales’ OR department = ‘Marketing’;` retrieves records of employees working in either the Sales or Marketing departments. This is particularly useful in scenarios where you need to check against multiple values, thus providing greater flexibility compared to using multiple, separate queries.

Moreover, caution should be taken when using the `OR` operator in conjunction with other logical operators such as `AND`, as it can lead to unexpected results if not structured properly. Parentheses can be utilized to dictate the precedence of evaluation within complex queries. For example, in a query like `SELECT * FROM employees WHERE (department = ‘Sales’ OR department = ‘Marketing’) AND status = ‘Active’;`, the parentheses ensure that the `OR` condition is evaluated first, allowing the query to return only active employees from the specified departments. This control helps in building more precise and efficient SQL queries, ensuring the intended logic is executed correctly.