Python Dictionary popitem() method Last Updated : 11 Jul, 2025 Comments Improve Suggest changes Like Article Like Report popitem() method in Python is used to remove and return the last key-value pair from the dictionary. It is often used when we want to remove a random element, particularly when the dictionary is not ordered. Example: Python d = {1: '001', 2: '010', 3: '011'} # Using popitem() to remove and return the last item res = d.popitem() print(res) print(d) Output(3, '011') {1: '001', 2: '010'} Explanation: In this example, the last key-value pair 3: '011' is removed from the dictionary and the updated dictionary is printed.popitem() syntaxdict.popitem()Here, dict is the dictionary from which the key-value pair is to be removed.Parameter:None: The popitem() method does not take any parameters.Returns:This method returns a tuple containing the last key-value pair removed from the dictionary.If the dictionary is empty, it raises a KeyError.popitem() examplesExample 1: popitem() on an Empty Dictionary Python d = {} # Trying to use popitem() on an empty dictionary try: d.popitem() except KeyError as e: print(e) Output'popitem(): dictionary is empty' Explanation: When popitem() is called on an empty dictionary, it raises a KeyError indicating that the dictionary is empty.Example 2: Removing Items One by One Python d = {1: '001', 2: '010', 3: '011'} # removing items one by one using popitem() print(d.popitem()) print(d.popitem()) print(d.popitem()) Output(3, '011') (2, '010') (1, '001') Explanation: Here, we remove and print each item from the dictionary until it becomes empty. The items are removed in reverse insertion order. Comment More infoAdvertise with us M manjeet_04 Follow Improve Article Tags : Python python-dict Python-dict-functions Practice Tags : pythonpython-dict Explore Python FundamentalsPython Introduction 3 min read Input and Output in Python 7 min read Python Variables 6 min read Python Operators 6 min read Python Keywords 2 min read Python Data Types 9 min read Conditional Statements in Python 6 min read Loops in Python - For, While and Nested Loops 9 min read Python Functions 9 min read Recursion in Python 6 min read Python Lambda Functions 6 min read Python Data StructuresPython String 6 min read Python Lists 6 min read Python Tuples 6 min read Dictionaries in Python 7 min read Python Sets 10 min read Python Arrays 9 min read List Comprehension in Python 4 min read Advanced PythonPython OOP Concepts 11 min read Python Exception Handling 6 min read File Handling in Python 4 min read Python Database Tutorial 4 min read Python MongoDB Tutorial 2 min read Python MySQL 9 min read Python Packages 12 min read Python Modules 7 min read Python DSA Libraries 15 min read List of Python GUI Library and Packages 11 min read Data Science with PythonNumPy Tutorial - Python Library 3 min read Pandas Tutorial 6 min read Matplotlib Tutorial 5 min read Python Seaborn Tutorial 15+ min read StatsModel Library- Tutorial 4 min read Learning Model Building in Scikit-learn 8 min read TensorFlow Tutorial 2 min read PyTorch Tutorial 7 min read Web Development with PythonFlask Tutorial 8 min read Django Tutorial | Learn Django Framework 10 min read Django ORM - Inserting, Updating & Deleting Data 4 min read Templating With Jinja2 in Flask 6 min read Django Templates 7 min read Python | Build a REST API using Flask 3 min read How to Create a basic API using Django Rest Framework ? 4 min read Python PracticePython Quiz 3 min read Python Coding Practice 1 min read Python Interview Questions and Answers 15+ min read Like