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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Once one person's discovery is shared, others can build on it so the next person starts from what the last one learned rather than from scratch. — Panos Siozos, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The Historic House Relocation Project was officially launched in July, 2025, with the goal of getting Altadenans back into homes more quickly, and more cheaply, than by building from scratch. — Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026 The Cyclones return only one starter from last season as Rogers must rebuild a roster practically from scratch. — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026 Lee had to build out a front office infrastructure basically from scratch along the way, too. — Tom Bogert, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for from scratch

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of from scratch was in 1928

Rhymes for from scratch

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Browse Nearby Words

from rags to riches
from scratch
(from) side to side
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“From scratch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/from%20scratch. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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