my @simpsons = ("homer","bart","marge","maggie","lisa"); my @females = ("lisa","marge","maggie","maude"); my %simpsons = map{$_ =>1} @simpsons; my %females = map{$_=>1} @females; # the intersection of @females and @simpsons: my @female_simpsons = grep( $simpsons{$_}, @females );