How to remove only last character from a string vector in R?

Sometimes the string vector contains unnecessary characters at the end or at the starting and do not make sense, it is also possible that the string makes sense but nor required there is a spelling mistake. In such type of cases, we need to remove the unnecessary characters. This can be done by using gsub function.

Example1

 Live Demo

x1<−"Tutorialspoint is an E-learning website and one of the biggest websites in the worlds"
gsub('.{1}$','',x1)

Output

[1] "Tutorialspoint is an E-learning website and one of the biggest websites in the world"

Example2

 Live Demo

x2<−c("Alabamaa", "Alaskaa", "American Samoaa", "Arizonaa", "Arkansass", "Californiaa", "Coloradoo", "Connecticutt", "Delawaree", "District of Columbiaa", "Floridaa", "Georgiaa", "Guamm", "Hawaiii", "Idahoo", "Illinoiss", "Indianaa", "Iowaa", "Kansass", "Kentuckyy", "Louisianaa", "Mainee", "Marylandd", "Massachusettss", "Michigann", "Minnesotaa", "Minor Outlying Islandss", "Mississippii", "Missourii", "Montanaa", "Nebraskaa", "Nevadaa", "New Hampshiree", "New Jerseyy", "New Mexicoo", "New Yorkk", "North Carolinaa", "North Dakotaa", "Northern Mariana Islandss", "Ohioo", "Oklahomaa", "Oregonn", "Pennsylvaniaa", "Puerto Ricoo", "Rhode Islandd", "South Carolinaa", "South Dakotaa", "Tennesseee", "Texasx", "U.S. Virgin Islandss", "Utahh", "Vermontt", "Virginiaa", "Washingtonn", "West Virginiaa", "Wisconsinn", "Wyomingg")
x2

Output

[1] "Alabamaa" "Alaskaa"
[3] "American Samoaa" "Arizonaa"
[5] "Arkansass" "Californiaa"
[7] "Coloradoo" "Connecticutt"
[9] "Delawaree" "District of Columbiaa"
[11] "Floridaa" "Georgiaa"
[13] "Guamm" "Hawaiii"
[15] "Idahoo" "Illinoiss"
[17] "Indianaa" "Iowaa"
[19] "Kansass" "Kentuckyy"
[21] "Louisianaa" "Mainee"
[23] "Marylandd" "Massachusettss"
[25] "Michigann" "Minnesotaa"
[27] "Minor Outlying Islandss" "Mississippii"
[29] "Missourii" "Montanaa"
[31] "Nebraskaa" "Nevadaa"
[33] "New Hampshiree" "New Jerseyy"
[35] "New Mexicoo" "New Yorkk"
[37] "North Carolinaa" "North Dakotaa"
[39] "Northern Mariana Islandss" "Ohioo"
[41] "Oklahomaa" "Oregonn"
[43] "Pennsylvaniaa" "Puerto Ricoo"
[45] "Rhode Islandd" "South Carolinaa"
[47] "South Dakotaa" "Tennesseee"
[49] "Texasx" "U.S. Virgin Islandss"
[51] "Utahh" "Vermontt"
[53] "Virginiaa" "Washingtonn"
[55] "West Virginiaa" "Wisconsinn"
[57] "Wyomingg"

Example

gsub('.{1}$','',x2)

Output

[1] "Alabama" "Alaska"
[3] "American Samoa" "Arizona"
[5] "Arkansas" "California"
[7] "Colorado" "Connecticut"
[9] "Delaware" "District of Columbia"
[11] "Florida" "Georgia"
[13] "Guam" "Hawaii"
[15] "Idaho" "Illinois"
[17] "Indiana" "Iowa"
[19] "Kansas" "Kentucky"
[21] "Louisiana" "Maine"
[23] "Maryland" "Massachusetts"
[25] "Michigan" "Minnesota"
[27] "Minor Outlying Islands" "Mississippi"
[29] "Missouri" "Montana"
[31] "Nebraska" "Nevada"
[33] "New Hampshire" "New Jersey"
[35] "New Mexico" "New York"
[37] "North Carolina" "North Dakota"
[39] "Northern Mariana Islands" "Ohio"
[41] "Oklahoma" "Oregon"
[43] "Pennsylvania" "Puerto Rico"
[45] "Rhode Island" "South Carolina"
[47] "South Dakota" "Tennessee"
[49] "Texas" "U.S. Virgin Islands"
[51] "Utah" "Vermont"
[53] "Virginia" "Washington"
[55] "West Virginia" "Wisconsin"
[57] "Wyoming"

Example3

 Live Demo

x3<−c("AKK", "ALL", "ARR", "ASS", "AZZ", "CAA", "COO", "CTT", "DCC", "DEE", "FFLL", "GAA", "GUU", "HII", "IAA", "IDD", "ILL", "INN", "KSS", "KYY", "LAA", "MAA", "MDD", "MEE", "MII", "MNN", "MOO", "MPP", "MSS", "MTT", "NCC", "NDD", "NEE", "NHH", "NJJ", "NMM", "NVV", "NYY", "OHH", "OKK", "ORR", "PAA", "PRR", "RII", "SCC", "SDD", "TNN", "TXX", "UMM", "UTT", "VAA", "VII", "VTT", "WAA", "WII", "WVV", "WYY")
x3
[1] "AKK" "ALL" "ARR" "ASS" "AZZ" "CAA" "COO" "CTT" "DCC" "DEE"
[11] "FFLL" "GAA" "GUU" "HII" "IAA" "IDD" "ILL" "INN" "KSS" "KYY"
[21] "LAA" "MAA" "MDD" "MEE" "MII" "MNN" "MOO" "MPP" "MSS" "MTT"
[31] "NCC" "NDD" "NEE" "NHH" "NJJ" "NMM" "NVV" "NYY" "OHH" "OKK"
[41] "ORR" "PAA" "PRR" "RII" "SCC" "SDD" "TNN" "TXX" "UMM" "UTT"
[51] "VAA" "VII" "VTT" "WAA" "WII" "WVV" "WYY"
gsub('.{1}$','',x3)
[1] "AK" "AL" "AR" "AS" "AZ" "CA" "CO" "CT" "DC" "DE" "FFL" "GA"
[13] "GU" "HI" "IA" "ID" "IL" "IN" "KS" "KY" "LA" "MA" "MD" "ME"
[25] "MI" "MN" "MO" "MP" "MS" "MT" "NC" "ND" "NE" "NH" "NJ" "NM"
[37] "NV" "NY" "OH" "OK" "OR" "PA" "PR" "RI" "SC" "SD" "TN" "TX"
[49] "UM" "UT" "VA" "VI" "VT" "WA" "WI" "WV" "WY"