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Python String isspace() Method

Check if a Python string contains only whitespace characters using the isspace() method, including handling empty strings and Unicode whitespace.

The String isspace() method returns True if the string is not empty and all characters are whitespace characters. Otherwise, it returns False.

Syntax

my_string.isspace()

isspace() Parameters

Python String isspace() method does not take any parameters.

isspace() Return Value

Python String isspace() method returns:

  • True if all characters in the string are whitespace characters.
  • False if the string contains at least one non-whitespace character or if the string is empty.

Examples

Example 1: Check if a String contains all whitespaces with isspace()

The isspace() method returns True if all characters in the string are whitespace characters.

my_str = '    '

print(my_str.isspace()) # Output: True

output

True

The isspace() method returns False if the string contains at least one non-whitespace character.

my_str = '   a'

print(my_str.isspace()) # Output: False

output

False

Example 2: Check if an Empty String contains whitespace with isspace()

The isspace() method returns False if string is empty.

my_str = ''

print(my_str.isspace()) # Output: False

output

False

What characters are Whitespaces?

The most common whitespace characters are space , tab \t , and newline \n, but also Carriage Return \r and ASCII Form Feed \f are considered as whitespace characters.

Moreover, some Unicode characters qualify as whitespace:

Unicode Character Description
U+0020 Space
U+00A0 No-Break Space
U+1680 Ogham Space Mark
U+2000 En Quad
U+2001 Em Quad
U+2002 En Space
U+2003 Em Space
U+2004 Three-Per-Em Space
U+2005 Four-Per-Em Space
U+2006 Six-Per-Em Space
U+2007 Figure Space
U+2008 Punctuation Space
U+2009 Thin Space
U+200A Hair Space
U+202F Narrow No-Break Space
U+205F Medium Mathematical Space
U+3000 Ideographic Space

Some examples:

my_str1 = ' \t \n \r \f '
my_str2 = '\u2005 \u2007'

print(my_str1.isspace()) # Output: True
print(my_str2.isspace()) # Output: True

output

True
True
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