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StringReplaceList["string",ssp] or StringReplaceList["string",{s1sp1,s2sp2,…}]

gives a list of the strings obtained by replacing each individual occurrence of substrings in "string" matching the string expressions si.

StringReplaceList["string",srules,n]

gives a list of the first n results obtained.

StringReplaceList[{s1,s2,…},srules]

gives the list of results for each of the si.

Details and Options
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
Options  
IgnoreCase  
Applications  
Possible Issues  
See Also
Tech Notes
Related Guides
History
Cite this Page

StringReplaceList

StringReplaceList["string",ssp] or StringReplaceList["string",{s1sp1,s2sp2,…}]

gives a list of the strings obtained by replacing each individual occurrence of substrings in "string" matching the string expressions si.

StringReplaceList["string",srules,n]

gives a list of the first n results obtained.

StringReplaceList[{s1,s2,…},srules]

gives the list of results for each of the si.

Details and Options

  • The string expressions si can contain any of the objects specified in the notes for StringExpression.
  • In each of the results returned by StringReplaceList only one substring has been replaced.
  • StringReplaceList goes through a string, testing substrings that start at each successive character position. On each substring, it tries in turn each of the transformation rules you have specified, returning a result for each one that applies.
  • StringReplaceList in effect carries out a single step in the evolution of a multiway system.
  • If the spi in the replacements si->spi do not evaluate to strings, StringReplaceList will yield a StringExpression rather than an ordinary string.
  • In replacements of the form si:>spi, the spi are not evaluated until each time they are used.
  • StringReplaceList takes the following option:
  • IgnoreCase Falsewhether to turn off case-sensitive matching
  • Setting the option IgnoreCase->True makes StringReplaceList treat lowercase and uppercase letters as equivalent.

Examples

open all close all

Basic Examples  (2)

Make replacements for "c" in all possible ways:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["ccccc", "c" -> "XYX"]
Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["abcdeabacde", {"abc" -> "X", "cde" -> "Y"}]

Scope  (9)

Use string patterns:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["ababababab", _ ~~ "ab" ~~ _ -> "X"]

Use a regular expression:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["abcd acbd", RegularExpression["[ab]"] -> "XX"]

Use pattern matching for dates:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["date:31/12/2003", DatePattern[{"Day", "Month", "Year"}] -> "XX"]

Mixed regular expressions and string patterns:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["abcd acbd", RegularExpression["[ab]"] ~~ _ -> "YY"]

Use RuleDelayed (:>) in order to evaluate the right-hand side of a rule:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["101abcd102abcd", a : DigitCharacter.. :> ToString[ToExpression[a] ^ 2]]

Generate at most two possible results:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["abcddbbcbbbacbbaa", "bb" -> "X", 2]

Replace occurrences of either string:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["abcdabcdaabcabcd", {"abc" -> "Y", "d" -> "XXX"}]

StringReplaceList works on special characters:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["product: A ⊕ (B ⊕ C)" , "⊕" -> "x"]

StringReplaceList automatically threads over lists of strings:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList[{"aaabbbbaaaa", "bbbaaaab", "aaabab"}, "ab" -> "X"]

Options  (1)

IgnoreCase  (1)

Make replacements for "c" in all possible ways, including uppercase letters:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["ccbbCbcc", "c" -> "X", IgnoreCase -> True]

There are fewer results when taking case sensitivity into account:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["ccbCbcc", "c" -> "X"]

Applications  (2)

Five steps in the evolution of the Fibonacci multiway system [more info]:

Wolfram Language code: NestList[Union[Flatten[StringReplaceList[#, {"A" -> "AB", "B" -> "A"}]]]&, {"A"}, 5]

Two steps in the evolution of another multiway system:

Wolfram Language code: NestList[Union[Flatten[StringReplaceList[#, {"AB" -> "ABBA", "ABB" -> ""}]]]&, {"ABBAAB"}, 2]

All possible replacements of the form :

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["abcaaba", ("a" ~~ x___ ~~ "a") :> ToUpperCase[x]]

Possible Issues  (1)

StringReplaceList yields a StringExpression if the rule does not have a string result:

Wolfram Language code: StringReplaceList["abc", "c" -> a]
Wolfram Language code: FullForm[%]
Wolfram Research (2004), StringReplaceList, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StringReplaceList.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (2004), StringReplaceList, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StringReplaceList.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2004. "StringReplaceList." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StringReplaceList.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2004). StringReplaceList. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StringReplaceList.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_stringreplacelist, author="Wolfram Research", title="{StringReplaceList}", year="2004", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StringReplaceList.html}", note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_stringreplacelist, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={StringReplaceList}, year={2004}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StringReplaceList.html}, note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}