start from scratch

idiom

: to begin from a point at which nothing has been done yet
Nothing like this had ever been done before, so we had to start from scratch.

Examples of start from scratch in a Sentence

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Today, the logic of construction begins with the clean slate, and the most expeditious way to convert vacant places of worship into living spaces is to clear away the old and start from scratch. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 27 June 2025 The Special Tribunal will not start from scratch but will benefit from the work of the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine (ICPA) operating for two years now, securing evidence and facilitating the process of case building at an early stage. Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025 So, this year, instead of testing the Islanders’ connections, Casa Amor is basically giving them all an opportunity to start from scratch. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 24 June 2025 But Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has since promised to start from scratch and remake the recommendations to match his convictions about how Americans should be eating. Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for start from scratch

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Cite this Entry

“Start from scratch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/start%20from%20scratch. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

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