How to Clear All Elements in a List in Python (4 Examples)

In this tutorial, we will learn different ways to clear all elements in a list in Python.

Lists are a versatile and frequently used data structure in Python, and there are multiple ways to remove elements from a list, ranging from built-in methods to using loops. By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to clear a list using different techniques.

The table of contents is structured as shown below:

So without further ado, let’s dive into it!

Method 1: Using the clear() Method

The simplest and most efficient way to clear a list is to use the built-in clear() method. It removes all the elements from the list.

Example:

my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
print("Original list:", my_list)
 
my_list.clear()
print("Cleared list:", my_list)

Output:

Original list: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Cleared list: []

Method 2: Using Slicing

You can also clear a list by slicing it. Assign an empty slice to the entire list, and it will remove all elements from the list.

Example:

my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
print("Original list:", my_list)
 
my_list[:] = []
print("Cleared list:", my_list)

Output:

Original list: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Cleared list: []

Method 3: Using the del Statement

The del statement in Python can be used to remove elements from a list. To clear the entire list, use the del statement with the slice notation for the whole list.

Example:

my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
print("Original list:", my_list)
 
del my_list[:]
print("Cleared list:", my_list)

Output:

Original list: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Cleared list: []

Method 4: Using a Loop (Less Efficient)

You can also use a loop to remove elements from a list one by one until the list is empty. However, this method is less efficient and not recommended for large lists.

Example:

my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
print("Original list:", my_list)
 
while my_list:
    my_list.pop()
 
print("Cleared list:", my_list)

Output:

Original list: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Cleared list: []

Conclusion & Further Resources

Now you have learned four different ways to clear all elements from a list in Python. Among these methods, using the clear() method is the most efficient and recommended way.

The other methods can be helpful in specific situations or when working with older versions of Python that do not support the clear() method.

You may also be interested in the following tutorials on lists in Python on the Statistics Globe website:

• Check if List of Lists is Empty in Python
• Check if List is Empty in Python
• Sort List of Integers in Python
• Count Number of Dictionaries in List in Python
• count() Method for Lists in Python

Thanks for reading and see you in the next tutorial!