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Python Set symmetric_difference() Method (with Examples)

Last Updated : December 11, 2025

Python Set symmetric_difference() Method

The symmetric_difference() is an inbuilt method of the set class that is used to get the list of all elements which are not common in both sets, the method is called with this set (set1), and another set (set2) is supplied as an argument. And, returns a set of those uncommon elements.

Syntax

The following is the syntax of symmetric_difference() method:

set1.symmetric_difference(set2)

Parameter(s):

The following are the parameter(s):

• set2 – It represents another set to be compared with this set (set1).

Return Value

The return type of this method is <class 'set'>, it returns the set of those elements which are not common in both sets.

Example 1: Use of Set symmetric_difference() Method

# declaring the sets
cars_1 = {"Porsche", "Audi", "Lexus"}
cars_2 = {"Porsche", "Mazda", "Lincoln"}

# symmetric_difference() method call
x = cars_1.symmetric_difference(cars_2)

# printing the sets
print("cars_1:", cars_1)
print("cars_2:", cars_2)
print("x:", x)

Output

cars_1: {'Lexus', 'Audi', 'Porsche'}
cars_2: {'Porsche', 'Mazda', 'Lincoln'}
x: {'Lexus', 'Lincoln', 'Audi', 'Mazda'}

Example 2: Use of Set symmetric_difference() Method

# declaring the sets
x = {"ABC", "PQR", "XYZ"}
y = {"ABC", "PQR", "XYZ"}
z = {"DEF", "MNO", "ABC"}

# printing the results
print("x:", x)
print("y:", y)
print("z:", z)

# printing the result of symmetric_difference()
print("x.symmetric_difference(y): ", x.symmetric_difference(y))
print("x.symmetric_difference(z): ", x.symmetric_difference(z))
print("y.symmetric_difference(x): ", y.symmetric_difference(x))
print("y.symmetric_difference(z): ", y.symmetric_difference(z))
print("z.symmetric_difference(y): ", z.symmetric_difference(y))
print("z.symmetric_difference(x): ", z.symmetric_difference(x))

Output

x: {'XYZ', 'ABC', 'PQR'}
y: {'XYZ', 'ABC', 'PQR'}
z: {'MNO', 'ABC', 'DEF'}
x.symmetric_difference(y):  set()
x.symmetric_difference(z):  {'PQR', 'MNO', 'XYZ', 'DEF'}
y.symmetric_difference(x):  set()
y.symmetric_difference(z):  {'PQR', 'MNO', 'XYZ', 'DEF'}
z.symmetric_difference(y):  {'PQR', 'MNO', 'XYZ', 'DEF'}
z.symmetric_difference(x):  {'PQR', 'MNO', 'XYZ', 'DEF'}