#!/usr/bin/env python2.7 setA = {'eclass', 'profiles', 'metadata'} listB = ['eclass', 'profiles', 'metadata', 'otherA', 'otherB'] listC = ['profiles', 'metadata', 'otherA', 'otherB'] if setA <= frozenset(listB): print("setA is a subset (inclusive) of listB") if setA <= frozenset(listC): print("setA is a subset (inclusive) of listC") else: print("setA is NOT a subset (inclusive) of listC")