use warnings; no strict 'refs'; my $point1 = 'valpt'; @{"use_$point1"} = ("foo", "bar"); ... my $var = 'valpt'; # Oops, typo. push @{"use_$var"}, "baz"; # Silently does the wrong thing. use strict 'refs'; my $point1 = 'valpt'; my %use; @{$use{$point1}} = ("foo", "bar"); ... my $var = 'valpt'; # Oops, typo. push @{$use{$var}}, "baz"; # Silently does the wrong thing.