You can only assign lists to arrays, but what you probably forgot is that not all lists need parentheses. So effectively, this happens: 

@array = (undef);

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It makes your array be a single element array with undef as its only value. To empty an array, use an empty list (because there is no scalar this time, you need the parens): 
@array = ();

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To really destroy the array, and also reset its MAX, use: 
undef @array;

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See also: undef. 

- Yes, I reinvent wheels.
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In reply to Re: undef'ing @arrays caveat by Juerd
in thread undef'ing @arrays caveat by vladb

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