Using setminus notation with set elements The "correct" way to write a set without a specific element is as follows: $S \setminus \\{s\\}$ But in some contexts this is cumbersome to write/type or read, and it detracts from the flow of the writing. Is it acceptable to just use $S \setminus s$? **Edit:** By "cumbersome" i mean they look bad when you're trying to inline formulas in LaTeX.

If you have to write this many times in a piece of text, and there is no possibility of confusion of $s$ being an actual set of elements you are removing, it is okay to first write one sentence reminding the reader of this abuse of notation ("In the following, we write $S\setminus s$ to mean $S \setminus \\{s\\}$") and then write $S \setminus s$ thereafter. But otherwise I would recommend using the proper notation.