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SyntaxError: '(' was never closed

What it means

You opened a bracket, (, [ or {, and Python reached the end of the file without finding its closing partner. The caret points at the opening bracket, so the missing one belongs somewhere after it.

1. A missing `)` at the end of a function call

This raises the error

Broken
scores = [72, 88, 95]
print("Average:", sum(scores) / len(scores)
Output
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<exec>", line 2
    print("Average:", sum(scores) / len(scores)
         ^
SyntaxError: '(' was never closed

The fix

Fixed
scores = [72, 88, 95]
print("Average:", sum(scores) / len(scores))
Output
Average: 85.0

Nested calls need one ) for every (. Here print(, sum( and len( each need their own, so the line ends with two.

Try fixing it yourself in the editor

2. A list that is never closed

This raises the error

Broken
colors = ["red", "green", "blue"
print(colors)
Output
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<exec>", line 1
    colors = ["red", "green", "blue"
             ^
SyntaxError: '[' was never closed

The fix

Fixed
colors = ["red", "green", "blue"]
print(colors)
Output
['red', 'green', 'blue']

Python lets a list continue onto the next lines, so it kept reading through the rest of the file and never found the ].

Try fixing it yourself in the editor

3. A dictionary over several lines, missing its `}`

This raises the error

Broken
ages = {
"Ada": 36,
"Alan": 41,
print(ages["Ada"])
Output
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<exec>", line 1
    ages = {
           ^
SyntaxError: '{' was never closed

The fix

Fixed
ages = {
"Ada": 36,
"Alan": 41,
}
print(ages["Ada"])
Output
36

When a dictionary or list spans several lines, put the closing bracket on its own line, lined up with the start. That makes a missing one easy to spot.

Try fixing it yourself in the editor

When you see this error, check

  • Go to the bracket Python points at and decide where its partner should be.
  • Count the opening and closing brackets on that line: the numbers should match.
  • Check the kind as well as the number: ( closes with ), [ with ], { with }.
  • An error reported on a later line can come from a bracket left open on an earlier one.

Related errors

All Python errors · How to read a traceback · Step through your code