diff --git a/openstackclient/tests/unit/volume/v2/test_volume.py b/openstackclient/tests/unit/volume/v2/test_volume.py
index b68020fa95..1d4be1c399 100644
--- a/openstackclient/tests/unit/volume/v2/test_volume.py
+++ b/openstackclient/tests/unit/volume/v2/test_volume.py
@@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         arglist = [self.volumes[0].id]
         verifylist = [
             ("force", False),
-            ("purge", False),
+            ("cascade", False),
             ("volumes", [self.volumes[0].id]),
         ]
         parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         arglist = [v.id for v in self.volumes]
         verifylist = [
             ('force', False),
-            ('purge', False),
+            ('cascade', False),
             ('volumes', arglist),
         ]
         parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
@@ -701,7 +701,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         ]
         verifylist = [
             ('force', False),
-            ('purge', False),
+            ('cascade', False),
             ('volumes', [self.volumes[0].id, 'unexist_volume']),
         ]
         parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
@@ -732,7 +732,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         ]
         verifylist = [
             ('force', False),
-            ('purge', True),
+            ('cascade', True),
             ('volumes', [self.volumes[0].id]),
         ]
         parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
@@ -754,7 +754,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         ]
         verifylist = [
             ('force', True),
-            ('purge', False),
+            ('cascade', False),
             ('volumes', [self.volumes[0].id]),
         ]
         parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
diff --git a/openstackclient/tests/unit/volume/v3/test_volume.py b/openstackclient/tests/unit/volume/v3/test_volume.py
index 33dcfe5a47..1669aaf8a0 100644
--- a/openstackclient/tests/unit/volume/v3/test_volume.py
+++ b/openstackclient/tests/unit/volume/v3/test_volume.py
@@ -912,7 +912,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         arglist = [self.volumes[0].id]
         verifylist = [
             ("force", False),
-            ("purge", False),
+            ("cascade", False),
             ("volumes", [self.volumes[0].id]),
         ]
         parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
@@ -931,7 +931,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         arglist = [v.id for v in self.volumes]
         verifylist = [
             ('force', False),
-            ('purge', False),
+            ('cascade', False),
             ('volumes', arglist),
         ]
         parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
@@ -958,7 +958,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         ]
         verifylist = [
             ('force', False),
-            ('purge', False),
+            ('cascade', False),
             ('volumes', [self.volumes[0].id, 'unexist_volume']),
         ]
         parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
@@ -989,7 +989,29 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         ]
         verifylist = [
             ('force', False),
-            ('purge', True),
+            ('cascade', True),
+            ('volumes', [self.volumes[0].id]),
+        ]
+        parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
+
+        result = self.cmd.take_action(parsed_args)
+        self.assertIsNone(result)
+
+        self.volume_sdk_client.find_volume.assert_called_once_with(
+            self.volumes[0].id, ignore_missing=False
+        )
+        self.volume_sdk_client.delete_volume.assert_called_once_with(
+            self.volumes[0].id, cascade=True, force=False
+        )
+
+    def test_volume_delete_with_cascade(self):
+        arglist = [
+            '--cascade',
+            self.volumes[0].id,
+        ]
+        verifylist = [
+            ('force', False),
+            ('cascade', True),
             ('volumes', [self.volumes[0].id]),
         ]
         parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
@@ -1011,7 +1033,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         ]
         verifylist = [
             ('force', True),
-            ('purge', False),
+            ('cascade', False),
             ('volumes', [self.volumes[0].id]),
         ]
         parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
@@ -1031,7 +1053,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         verifylist = [
             ("remote", True),
             ("force", False),
-            ("purge", False),
+            ("cascade", False),
             ("volumes", [self.volumes[0].id]),
         ]
         parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
@@ -1052,7 +1074,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         verifylist = [
             ('remote', True),
             ('force', False),
-            ('purge', False),
+            ('cascade', False),
             ('volumes', arglist[1:]),
         ]
         parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
@@ -1077,7 +1099,6 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         verifylist = [
             ('remote', True),
             ('force', False),
-            ('purge', True),
             ('volumes', [self.volumes[0].id]),
         ]
 
@@ -1086,7 +1107,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
             exceptions.CommandError, self.cmd.take_action, parsed_args
         )
         self.assertIn(
-            "The --force and --purge options are not supported with the "
+            "The --force and --cascade options are not supported with the "
             "--remote parameter.",
             str(exc),
         )
@@ -1104,7 +1125,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
         verifylist = [
             ('remote', True),
             ('force', True),
-            ('purge', False),
+            ('cascade', False),
             ('volumes', [self.volumes[0].id]),
         ]
 
@@ -1113,7 +1134,7 @@ class TestVolumeDelete(volume_fakes.TestVolume):
             exceptions.CommandError, self.cmd.take_action, parsed_args
         )
         self.assertIn(
-            "The --force and --purge options are not supported with the "
+            "The --force and --cascade options are not supported with the "
             "--remote parameter.",
             str(exc),
         )
diff --git a/openstackclient/volume/v2/volume.py b/openstackclient/volume/v2/volume.py
index 61cce04f7b..4dd1434f3c 100644
--- a/openstackclient/volume/v2/volume.py
+++ b/openstackclient/volume/v2/volume.py
@@ -390,12 +390,19 @@ class DeleteVolume(command.Command):
             ),
         )
         group.add_argument(
-            "--purge",
+            "--cascade",
             action="store_true",
             help=_(
                 "Remove any snapshots along with volume(s) (defaults to False)"
             ),
         )
+        group.add_argument(
+            # now called "cascade", accept old arg for compatibility
+            "--purge",
+            action="store_true",
+            help=argparse.SUPPRESS,
+            dest='cascade',
+        )
         return parser
 
     def take_action(self, parsed_args):
@@ -410,7 +417,7 @@ class DeleteVolume(command.Command):
                 volume_client.delete_volume(
                     volume_obj.id,
                     force=parsed_args.force,
-                    cascade=parsed_args.purge,
+                    cascade=parsed_args.cascade,
                 )
             except Exception as e:
                 result += 1
diff --git a/openstackclient/volume/v3/volume.py b/openstackclient/volume/v3/volume.py
index 50ea77fb5a..77dab293bd 100644
--- a/openstackclient/volume/v3/volume.py
+++ b/openstackclient/volume/v3/volume.py
@@ -515,12 +515,19 @@ class DeleteVolume(command.Command):
             ),
         )
         group.add_argument(
-            "--purge",
+            "--cascade",
             action="store_true",
             help=_(
                 "Remove any snapshots along with volume(s) (defaults to False)"
             ),
         )
+        group.add_argument(
+            # now called "cascade", accept old arg for compatibility
+            "--purge",
+            action="store_true",
+            help=argparse.SUPPRESS,
+            dest='cascade',
+        )
         parser.add_argument(
             '--remote',
             action='store_true',
@@ -532,9 +539,9 @@ class DeleteVolume(command.Command):
         volume_client = self.app.client_manager.sdk_connection.volume
         result = 0
 
-        if parsed_args.remote and (parsed_args.force or parsed_args.purge):
+        if parsed_args.remote and (parsed_args.force or parsed_args.cascade):
             msg = _(
-                "The --force and --purge options are not "
+                "The --force and --cascade options are not "
                 "supported with the --remote parameter."
             )
             raise exceptions.CommandError(msg)
@@ -550,7 +557,7 @@ class DeleteVolume(command.Command):
                     volume_client.delete_volume(
                         volume_obj.id,
                         force=parsed_args.force,
-                        cascade=parsed_args.purge,
+                        cascade=parsed_args.cascade,
                     )
             except Exception as e:
                 result += 1
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/volume-delete-cascade-384003efc8896096.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/volume-delete-cascade-384003efc8896096.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..679964f1bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/volume-delete-cascade-384003efc8896096.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    The ``--purge`` argument to the ``volume delete`` command has been renamed
+    to ``--cascade`` to better match the Cinder API and the meaning of what
+    this argument does. An alias is provided for backwards compatibility.