diff --git a/pkg/api/types.go b/pkg/api/types.go
index 40a2101987a..6b3dbfc4bea 100644
--- a/pkg/api/types.go
+++ b/pkg/api/types.go
@@ -3090,8 +3090,9 @@ type DeleteOptions struct {
 	OrphanDependents *bool
 
 	// Whether and how garbage collection will be performed.
-	// Defaults to Default.
 	// Either this field or OrphanDependents may be set, but not both.
+	// The default policy is decided by the existing finalizer set in the
+	// metadata.finalizers and the resource-specific default policy.
 	// +optional
 	PropagationPolicy *DeletionPropagation
 }
diff --git a/pkg/api/v1/types.go b/pkg/api/v1/types.go
index 86e508f57a0..e7f59f648bd 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1/types.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1/types.go
@@ -3530,8 +3530,9 @@ type DeleteOptions struct {
 	OrphanDependents *bool `json:"orphanDependents,omitempty" protobuf:"varint,3,opt,name=orphanDependents"`
 
 	// Whether and how garbage collection will be performed.
-	// Defaults to Default.
 	// Either this field or OrphanDependents may be set, but not both.
+	// The default policy is decided by the existing finalizer set in the
+	// metadata.finalizers and the resource-specific default policy.
 	// +optional
 	PropagationPolicy *DeletionPropagation `protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=propagationPolicy,casttype=DeletionPropagation"`
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/types.go
index 9a40b7e9adc..c6cf1fab888 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/types.go
@@ -356,8 +356,9 @@ type DeleteOptions struct {
 	OrphanDependents *bool `json:"orphanDependents,omitempty" protobuf:"varint,3,opt,name=orphanDependents"`
 
 	// Whether and how garbage collection will be performed.
-	// Defaults to Default.
 	// Either this field or OrphanDependents may be set, but not both.
+	// The default policy is decided by the existing finalizer set in the
+	// metadata.finalizers and the resource-specific default policy.
 	// +optional
 	PropagationPolicy *DeletionPropagation `json:"propagationPolicy,omitempty" protobuf:"varint,4,opt,name=propagationPolicy"`
 }