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Python String rstrip() Method

By (LinkedIn) · Every code example is run and checked on Python 3.13 (how we test) · Last updated

Short answer
text.rstrip(chars=None) returns a new string with trailing (right-hand) whitespace, or any characters in chars, removed; the start of the string is untouched.

rstrip() is the method you reach for when reading lines from a file or from input(): each line often ends with a newline you do not want. It is also useful for trailing punctuation, extra zeros, or slashes at the end of a path.

For the start of a string use lstrip(); for both ends use strip(). All three leave the original string unchanged.

Syntaxtext.rstrip(chars=None)
Parameterschars (optional): a string whose characters are all removed from the end; default is whitespace
ReturnsA new str
Time complexityO(n) in the worst case

How rstrip() removes trailing whitespace and newlines

Python checks the last character, removes it if it is whitespace (or in chars), and repeats until it meets one that stays. That is why rstrip() removes a whole run of trailing newlines or spaces, not just one.

Python 
line = "total: 5  \n\n"
print(repr(line))
print(repr(line.rstrip()))
print(repr(line.rstrip("\n")))





Passing "\n" removes only newlines and keeps the trailing spaces.

      
      
    

    

    
    

      
rstrip() with chars removes any listed character

      
As with the other strip methods, chars is a set of characters, not a suffix. Use it for runs of the same symbol, and use removesuffix() (Python 3.9+) for an exact ending.



  

    Python
    

      
      
      
      
    

  

  
print("3.1400".rstrip("0"))
print("Wow!!!".rstrip("!"))
print("report.csv".removesuffix(".csv"))

  
  
  
  

    
      
      
    
    
  

  





      
      
    

    
    
    

      
rstrip() vs strip() vs removesuffix()

      
      
      
      

        
        
GoalCodeResult

        
Drop trailing whitespace"hi  ".rstrip()'hi'
Drop trailing newline only"hi\n".rstrip("\n")'hi'
Drop trailing zeros"2.500".rstrip("0")'2.5'
Drop an exact ending"a.py".removesuffix(".py")'a'
Drop trailing slash"/docs//".rstrip("/")'/docs'
Both ends"  hi  ".strip()'hi'

      

      
    

    
    

    
    

      
Examples you can run

      
Press Run, then edit the code and run it again.

      
      

        
Clean the newline from a line of text

        
Typical for lines read from a file.

        

  

    Clean the newline from a line of text
    

      
      
      
      
    

  

  
lines = ["apple\n", "kiwi \n", "plum\n"]
for line in lines:
    print(f"[{line.rstrip()}]")

  
  
  
  

    
      
      
    
    
  

  
Expected output[apple]
[kiwi]
[plum]




      

      
      

        
Trim trailing zeros from a number string

        
Only the end is changed.

        

  

    Trim trailing zeros from a number string
    

      
      
      
      
    

  

  
price = "12.5000"
print(price.rstrip("0"))
print(price.rstrip("0").rstrip("."))
print("1500".rstrip("0"))

  
  
  
  

    
      
      
    
    
  

  
Expected output12.5
12.5
15




      

      
      

        
Normalise a folder path

        
Remove extra slashes at the end so paths join cleanly.

        

  

    Normalise a folder path
    

      
      
      
      
    

  

  
folder = "/home/asha/projects///"
clean = folder.rstrip("/")
print(clean)
print(clean + "/notes.txt")

  
  
  
  

    
      
      
    
    
  

  
Expected output/home/asha/projects
/home/asha/projects/notes.txt




      

      
    

    

    
    

      
Common mistakes

      
      

        
Stripping zeros from whole numbers

        

          
✗ Wrong
print("1500".rstrip("0"))
15 (the zeros belong to the value)

          
✓ Right
price = "12.500"
print(price.rstrip("0"))

        

        
Only strip zeros after a decimal point, or format the number instead.

      

      
      

        
Using rstrip() to remove a file extension

        

          
✗ Wrong
print("data.txt".rstrip(".txt"))
conte (the trailing t and x of the name are removed too)

          
✓ Right
print("context.txt".removesuffix(".txt"))

        

        
Use removesuffix() for an exact ending.

      

      
      

        
Ignoring the return value

        

          
✗ Wrong
s = "hi  "
s.rstrip()
print(repr(s))
'hi  ' (unchanged)

          
✓ Right
s = "hi  "
s = s.rstrip()
print(repr(s))

        

        
Assign it back: s = s.rstrip().

      

      
    

    

    
    

      
Python String rstrip() Method: questions people ask

      
How do I remove the newline at the end of a string in Python?
Use text.rstrip("\n") to remove only newlines, or text.rstrip() to remove all trailing whitespace including newlines.
What is the difference between rstrip() and strip()?
rstrip() cleans only the right end of the string, while strip() cleans both the left and the right.
Does rstrip() remove a suffix?
No, it removes any trailing characters that appear in its argument. For an exact suffix use removesuffix(), available since Python 3.9.

    

    

    
    

      
Keep learning

      
Step-by-step lessons:
Python StringsPython String MethodsPython File Handling

      
Related:
Python String strip() MethodPython String lstrip() MethodHow to Remove Whitespace from a String in PythonPython String splitlines() Method

      
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