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SetAttributes[symbol,attr]

adds attr to the list of attributes of the symbol symbol.

SetAttributes["symbol",attr]

adds attr to the attributes of the symbol named "symbol" if it exists.

SetAttributes[s,{attr1,attr2,…}]

sets several attributes at a time.

SetAttributes[{s1,s2,…},attrs]

sets attributes of several symbols at a time.

Details
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Basic Examples  
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Neat Examples  
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SetAttributes

SetAttributes[symbol,attr]

adds attr to the list of attributes of the symbol symbol.

SetAttributes["symbol",attr]

adds attr to the attributes of the symbol named "symbol" if it exists.

SetAttributes[s,{attr1,attr2,…}]

sets several attributes at a time.

SetAttributes[{s1,s2,…},attrs]

sets attributes of several symbols at a time.

Details

Examples

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Basic Examples  (2)

Wolfram Language code: SetAttributes[f, HoldAll]
Wolfram Language code: f[1 + 2]
Wolfram Language code: SetAttributes[plus, {Flat, Orderless}]
Wolfram Language code: plus[a, plus[c, b]]

Scope  (3)

Add an attribute to the list of attributes of a symbol:

Wolfram Language code: SetAttributes[f, Flat]

Add more attributes; the previous ones are retained:

Wolfram Language code: SetAttributes[f, Orderless]
Wolfram Language code: Attributes[f]

Add several attributes:

Wolfram Language code: SetAttributes[f, {HoldAll, Protected}]

Add the same attributes to several symbols:

Wolfram Language code: SetAttributes[{f, g, h}, {HoldFirst, NHoldFirst}]

Properties & Relations  (6)

Set a single attribute for the symbols f and g:

Wolfram Language code: Attributes[f] = Listable; Attributes[g] = Listable;

SetAttributes adds to the already existing attributes; Attributes[g]={..} resets the list:

Wolfram Language code: SetAttributes[f, HoldAll]; Attributes[g] = HoldAll;
Wolfram Language code: Attributes[{f, g}]

SetAttributes is equivalent to this assignment to the attributes:

Wolfram Language code: Attributes[f] = Union[Attributes[f], {HoldFirst, NHoldFirst}]

Use ClearAttributes to clear a particular attribute:

Wolfram Language code: SetAttributes[f, {Flat, Orderless, OneIdentity}]
Wolfram Language code: ClearAttributes[f, OneIdentity]
Wolfram Language code: Attributes[f]

Protecting a symbol is equivalent to setting the Protected attribute:

Wolfram Language code: Protect[f]; SetAttributes[g, Protected];
Wolfram Language code: Attributes[{f, g}]

You can still change the attributes of a protected symbol:

Wolfram Language code: ClearAttributes[f, Protected]; Unprotect[g];

After setting the attribute Locked, no more changes to the attributes can be made:

Wolfram Language code: SetAttributes[f, {Locked, Protected}]

A locked symbol can no longer be unprotected, as the Protected attribute cannot be cleared:

Wolfram Language code: Unprotect[f]

SetAttributes has the attribute HoldFirst:

Wolfram Language code: Attributes[SetAttributes]
Wolfram Language code: syms = {f, g, h};

This sets attributes of the symbol syms itself:

Wolfram Language code: SetAttributes[syms, Protected]
Wolfram Language code: Attributes[syms]

This sets the attributes of all symbols in the list syms:

Wolfram Language code: SetAttributes[Evaluate[syms], Protected]
Wolfram Language code: Attributes[{f, g, h}]

Neat Examples  (1)

The 10 system symbols with the most attributes:

Wolfram Language code: TableForm[Take[Sort[{#, Attributes[#]}& /@ Names["System`*"], Length[#1[[2]]] > Length[#2[[2]]]&], 10], TableDepth -> 2]
Wolfram Research (1988), SetAttributes, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SetAttributes.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (1988), SetAttributes, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SetAttributes.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1988. "SetAttributes." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SetAttributes.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1988). SetAttributes. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SetAttributes.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_setattributes, author="Wolfram Research", title="{SetAttributes}", year="1988", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SetAttributes.html}", note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_setattributes, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={SetAttributes}, year={1988}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SetAttributes.html}, note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}