# find all file name ending with .pdf and remove them find -name \*.pdf | xargs rm # if file name contains spaces you should use this instead find -name \*.pdf | xargs -I{} rm -rf '{}' # Will show every .pdf like: # &toto.pdf= # &titi.pdf= # -n1 => One file by one file. ( -n2 => 2 files by 2 files ) find -name \*.pdf | xargs -I{} -n1 echo '&{}=' # group words by three in a string seq 1 10 | xargs -n3 echo