View synonyms for

from scratch

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

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John grows his own fruit and vegetables but after three years of construction work next to his house he said he has had to "restart the garden from scratch" due to the dirt and dust.

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That meant she had to apply for herself from scratch, including proving a steady income.

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"After 11 months of working as a volunteer to build a political party from scratch, with barely a single day off, my tweet was a decision born of exhaustion," he wrote.

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The family shops at multiple stores each week to get the best free-from options, cooks adaptable meals like jacket potatoes and pasta, and makes cakes and cookies from scratch.

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The costumes had been sent back into circulation, which meant starting from scratch.

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from rags to riches from soup to nuts

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