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Nothing

represents an element of a list that will automatically be removed.

Nothing[…]

gives Nothing.

Details
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
Generalizations & Extensions  
Applications  
Properties & Relations  
Possible Issues  
See Also
Related Guides
Related Links
History
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Nothing

Nothing

represents an element of a list that will automatically be removed.

Nothing[…]

gives Nothing.

Details

  • Nothing is removed as part of the standard evaluation process. It is not removed in expressions that are held or inactive.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (2)

Any occurrence of Nothing is automatically removed in a list:

Wolfram Language code: {a, b, Nothing, c, d, Nothing}

Replace an element of a list with Nothing to remove it:

Wolfram Language code: {a, b, c, d} /. c -> Nothing

Scope  (2)

Nothing is removed wherever it appears in a list:

Wolfram Language code: {{a, b, Nothing}, {c, d}, Nothing}

Nothing is not removed from heads other than List:

Wolfram Language code: f[a, Nothing, g[Nothing], c]

Generalizations & Extensions  (1)

When Nothing appears as a head, it reduces any expression to Nothing:

Wolfram Language code: Nothing[a]
Wolfram Language code: Nothing[a, b]

Applications  (1)

Delete lines from a plot, leaving only isolated points:

Wolfram Language code: DiscretePlot[{Sin[t], Cos[t], Sin[Pi + t]}, {t, 0, 2Pi, Pi / 12}]
Wolfram Language code: % /. Line -> Nothing

Properties & Relations  (3)

Nothing is removed during the standard evaluation process:

Wolfram Language code: Hold[{a, Nothing[b], Nothing}]
Wolfram Language code: %//ReleaseHold

Remove primes from a list by replacing them with Nothing:

Wolfram Language code: Range[20] /. p_ ? PrimeQ -> Nothing

Delete the primes with a pattern:

Wolfram Language code: DeleteCases[Range[20], p_ ? PrimeQ]

Select the non-primes:

Wolfram Language code: Select[Range[20], !PrimeQ[#]&]

Nothing will only disappear inside lists:

Wolfram Language code: {Nothing, a}
Wolfram Language code: f[Nothing, a]

An empty Sequence[] will evaporate inside any head except those with special attributes:

Wolfram Language code: {Sequence[], a}
Wolfram Language code: f[Sequence[], a]

Possible Issues  (1)

Nothing is removed as part of standard evaluation, so it is kept in held expressions:

Wolfram Language code: Hold[{a, b, Nothing, c}]

When the Hold is released, Nothing is removed:

Wolfram Language code: ReleaseHold[%]
Wolfram Research (2015), Nothing, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Nothing.html (updated 2016).

Text

Wolfram Research (2015), Nothing, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Nothing.html (updated 2016).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2015. "Nothing." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2016. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Nothing.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2015). Nothing. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Nothing.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_nothing, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Nothing}", year="2016", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Nothing.html}", note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_nothing, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Nothing}, year={2016}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Nothing.html}, note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}