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

Recent Examples on the Web

That means legislators would have to start from scratch to approve a new spending plan. —Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024

If Trump and the other defendants manage to overturn McAfee's decision, the underlying case could be thrown out entirely, or given to another DA's office in the state to start from scratch, Cunningham said. —Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024

When a business is considering expanding, the purchase of another company can be an effective way to achieve growth and diversify offerings without having to start from scratch. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

After five years of unprecedented continuity on his staff, Taylor has the luxury of not having to start from scratch with his new offensive coordinator. —Kelsey Conway, The Enquirer, 25 Jan. 2024

The tragedy not only left survivors and family members without income, but also displaced them from those residences, leaving dozens to start from scratch. —Sakshi Venkatraman, NBC News, 23 Jan. 2024

For keyboard builders and people wanting to customize the look and feel of their keyboard without having to start from scratch, barebone kits are a standout. —Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 8 Sep. 2023

As the eviction notices go into effect next month, the migrant families will face a difficult choice: Stay in the same school, which could mean a long commute if they’re placed in a distant shelter, or transfer to a new school and start from scratch. —Liset Cruz, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2023

Perhaps the best news about this color trend is that there’s no need to start from scratch—chocolate brown shades work with so many different color palettes, says Winshall. —Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Dec. 2023