unordered_multiset erase() function in C++ STL

The unordered_multiset::erase() function is a built-in function in C++ STL which is used to remove either a single element or, all elements with a definite value or, a range of elements ranging from start(inclusive) to end(exclusive). This decreases the size of the container by the number of elements removed.

Syntax:

1. unordered_multiset_name.erase(iterator position)
2. unordered_multiset_name.erase(iterator start, iterator end)
3. unordered_multiset_name.erase(key_value)

Parameters: This function has three versions.

1. The first one takes an iterator as an argument, erases the element present at that position.
2. The second version takes two iterator(say start and end) takes 2 iterators as argument and erases all elements in the range [start, end).
3. The third version takes a key value as argument and erases all elements of that value in the multiset.

Return Value: The 1st and 2nd version of the function as shown in the above syntax returns an iterator immediately following the last element erased. The 3rd version returns the number of element erased.

Below programs illustrate the unordered_multiset::erase() function:
Program 1:

// C++ program to illustrate the
// unordered_multiset::erase() function

#include <iostream>
#include <unordered_set>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
    unordered_multiset<int> samplemultiSet;

    // Inserting elements
    samplemultiSet.insert(10);
    samplemultiSet.insert(5);
    samplemultiSet.insert(15);
    samplemultiSet.insert(20);
    samplemultiSet.insert(25);
    samplemultiSet.insert(10);
    samplemultiSet.insert(15);
    samplemultiSet.insert(20);

    // Erases a particular element by its position
    samplemultiSet.erase(samplemultiSet.begin());

    // Displaying the set after removal
    for (auto it = samplemultiSet.begin();
                    it != samplemultiSet.end(); it++)
    {
        cout << *it << " ";
    }

    // erases a range of elements,
    // here all the elements
    samplemultiSet.erase(samplemultiSet.begin(),
                              samplemultiSet.end());

    cout << "\nMultiSet size: " << samplemultiSet.size();

    return 0;
}

Output:

10 10 15 15 20 20 25 
MultiSet size: 0

Program 2:

// C++ program to illustrate the
// unordered_multiset::erase() function

#include <iostream>
#include <unordered_set>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
    unordered_multiset<int> samplemultiSet;

    // Inserting elements
    samplemultiSet.insert(10);
    samplemultiSet.insert(5);
    samplemultiSet.insert(15);
    samplemultiSet.insert(20);
    samplemultiSet.insert(25);
    samplemultiSet.insert(10);
    samplemultiSet.insert(15);
    samplemultiSet.insert(20);

    // Erases all elements of value 10
    samplemultiSet.erase(10);

    // Displaying the set after removal
    for (auto it = samplemultiSet.begin();
                it != samplemultiSet.end(); it++)
    {
        cout << *it << " ";
    }

    return 0;
}

Output:

5 15 15 20 20 25