start from scratch

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He was going to rip up the Wolverines’ roster and start from scratch.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

After his boyfriend dies tragically, Rowan is forced to start from scratch, mourning the dream of the life he once had alongside his partner and trying to rent out his now-spare bedroom.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

"If there's a failure or unavailability during this phase you have to go back, or even start from scratch," Carroll said.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

"We were close to finishing the collection and we had to go back and start from scratch."

From BBC • Jan. 8, 2026

When Descartes produced his study of the rainbow he had to start from scratch, despite the fact that he was very largely simply repeating the work both of Theodoric and of al-Farisi.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton