from scratch

Idioms

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.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Dutch capital is not starting from scratch.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

Retirement has brought a DIY renaissance for me, a time to renew my passion for fixing, foraging and creating from scratch.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

The students did not begin entirely from scratch.

From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026

They say renovating crumbling Soviet-era buildings is more expensive than starting from scratch, and that the region urgently needs more housing for its rapidly growing population of some 80 million.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

“If you would’ve just listened to me, we would be fighting the Nightbeast right now. Instead we have to start from scratch, our time’s running out, and it’s all on you!”

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023