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

He almost had to start again from scratch.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

The study has drawn attention because lubiprostone is already an approved medication for chronic constipation, potentially making future clinical use faster than developing a completely new drug from scratch.

From Science Daily • May 8, 2026

In Las Vegas, although F1 is the promoter and built the location from scratch, it was decided to devote the entire structure above the pits to the Paddock Club for corporate guests, to maximise income.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 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

Information was then used to build an organism from scratch: message became material.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee