from scratch

phrase

1

: from a point at which nothing has been done ahead of time

build a school system from scratch

2

: without using a prepared mixture of ingredients

bake a cake from scratch

Examples of from scratch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Business logic should belong to the company, not the vendor, so a future platform change never requires re-authoring rules from scratch. — Sanchet Pachpute, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Fusion developers could soon get standardized plasma diagnostic systems instead of building complex measurement hardware from scratch for every reactor. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026

But making that switch requires having the right containers on hand or sourcing them from scratch, then rebottling smaller sizes more commonly sold in liquor stores. — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026

Throughout the program’s 11 years, students have worked on four houses, remodeling two and building two from scratch in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for from scratch

• attach
• bycatch
• despatch
• detach
• dispatch
• mismatch
• nuthatch
• potlatch
• bache
• batch
• brach
• catch