Python any()

In this tutorial, we will learn about the Python any() function with the help of examples.

The any() function returns True if any element of an iterable is True. If not, it returns False.

Example

boolean_list = ['True', 'False', 'True']

# check if any element is true
result = any(boolean_list)
print(result)

# Output: True

1. any() Syntax

The syntax of any() is:

any(iterable)

2. any() Parameters

The any() function takes an iterable (list, string, dictionary etc.) in Python.

3. any() Return Value

The any() function returns a boolean value:

• True if at least one element of an iterable is true
• False if all elements are false or if an iterable is empty

Condition	Return Value
All values are true	True
All values are false	False
One value is true (others are false)	True
One value is false (others are true)	True
Empty Iterable	False

4. Example 1: Using any() on Python Lists

# True since 1,3 and 4 (at least one) is true
l = [1, 3, 4, 0]
print(any(l))

# False since both are False
l = [0, False]
print(any(l))

# True since 5 is true
l = [0, False, 5]
print(any(l))

# False since iterable is empty
l = []
print(any(l))

Output

True
False
True
False

The any() method works in a similar way for tuples and sets like lists.

5. Example 2: Using any() on Python Strings

# At east one (in fact all) elements are True
s = "This is good"
print(any(s))

# 0 is False
# '0' is True since its a string character
s = '000'
print(any(s))

# False since empty iterable
s = ''
print(any(s))

Output

True
True
False

6. Example 3: Using any() with Python Dictionaries

In the case of dictionaries, if all keys (not values) are false or the dictionary is empty, any() returns False. If at least one key is true, any() returns True.

# 0 is False
d = {0: 'False'}
print(any(d))

# 1 is True
d = {0: 'False', 1: 'True'}
print(any(d))

# 0 and False are false
d = {0: 'False', False: 0}
print(any(d))

# iterable is empty
d = {}
print(any(d))

# 0 is False
# '0' is True
d = {'0': 'False'}
print(any(d))

Output

False
True
False
False
True