I don't know whether this is a bug or a feature: *Network.Browser> splitMany ',' "abc,def,ghj" ["abc",",def,gh"] According to the name and the comment "Removes delimiters" I propose: *Network.Browser> splitMany' ',' "abc,def,ghj" ["abc","def","ghj"] with splitMany' :: Eq a => a -> [a] -> [[a]] splitMany' delim = uncurry (:) . foldr (\c ~(str,rest) -> if c==delim then ([], str:rest) else (c:str, rest)) ([],[])