<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2014-02-06</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000007536</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ARROW ELECTRONICS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ARW</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237335</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BRYANT ANDREW S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ARROW ELECTRONICS, INC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>70 MAXESS ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MELVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>11747</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President, Global ECS</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>42185</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This amendment is being filed to correct the amount of common stock held by the reporting person as of December 31, 2013, which was reported as 48,976 in an amendment to this Form 5 filed with the Commission on February 21, 2014. The correct amount, 42,185, was reported on the initial Form 5 filing of February 6, 2014.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Giselle I. Torres, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-02-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
