from scratch

Idioms  

1. From the very beginning, from the outset; from nothing. For example, I knew we'd have a problem from scratch. Similarly, to start from scratch means “to start from the very beginning,” as in After the business failed, they decided to reorganize and start from scratch. This term comes from racing, where a competitor starts from the line scratched into the ground (whereas others may start ahead with a handicap). [Mid-1800s] Also see from the ground up; from the word go.

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Example Sentences

The structure, designed by Maybe Paris with Hermès creative director Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski, was built from scratch and took three weeks to build.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

Making a roux from scratch teaches you something.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

Microsoft says it built the model "from scratch" with "no distillation" of rival models -- a common shortcut that involves copying a competitor's outputs to train a new system more cheaply and quickly.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

This year's WSL newcomers are not your average club - an independent outfit, backed by seemingly unlimited funds from Kang and a desire to grow a women's football team from scratch.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

But I never wanted to use them, always preferring to create my own looks from scratch.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton