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

See Examples For:

from scratch

Rather than starting entirely from scratch, existing antibodies may be adaptable for use as powerful laboratory tools and, potentially, as the foundation for future treatments aimed at disease-causing proteins.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

Ultraprocessed foods are often cheaper than ingredients used to cook from scratch, and they’re often easier to access.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026

Speaking of which, there also will be new school meal items: a vegan blueberry muffin, Poly High’s Butter Chicken, a cheesesteak on sourdough and chicken posole made from scratch.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

Now it is like Groundhog Day, with a new lower court trial that will essentially start from scratch.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

Tom Bolles stopped talking about rebuilding the crew from scratch.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown