Verify returned list with a list in python? -

i have function returns me single list. i'm trying take returned , find if exists in list have. missing 'for' loop iterate through cat_colors list? or 'color' returned in way can't match in list? trying understand , if have better solution?

for cat in cat_names:     color = get_color(cat)     print cat_colors     print color      if color not in cat_colors:         print "fail"     else:         print "pass" 

output print:

['brown', 'grey', 'white', 'black', 'red', 'orange', 'green', 'blue'] ['brown'] fail  ['brown', 'grey', 'white', 'black', 'red', 'orange', 'green', 'blue'] ['grey'] fail  ... 

['brown'] isn't in ['brown', 'grey', 'white', 'black', 'red', 'orange', 'green', 'blue']. string 'brown' is.

you have 2 options here. if know color one-element list, can do:

if color[0] in cat_colors:    ... 

if not, do:

if any(c in cat_colors c in color):    ...    # or all(c in cat_colors c in color) based on needs