- array_fill: documentation ( source)
- preg_replace: documentation ( source)
<?php
$replace = array(
'/</',
'/>/',
'/\*/',
'/!/',
'/;/',
'/#/',
'/(/',
'/)/',
'/@/',
'/|/',
'/[/',
'/]/',
'/}/',
'/{/',
'/$/'
);
$e = array_fill(0, count($replace), '');
print preg_replace( $replace, $e, 'ls; ${}[]@()#!*<asdlad>' );