Meaning & use
start afresh
Last updated
Meaning
phraseintransitive
To begin something again from the beginning, usually in a new or different way.
Grammar: It does not take an object; you cannot say 'start afresh something'. It is often used with 'have to' or 'need to'.
Patterns
- start afresh
- have to start afresh
- decide to start afresh
After the fire, they had to start afresh and rebuild their home.
He decided to start afresh in a new city where nobody knew him.
The company failed, so the owners had to start afresh with a new business plan.
Common combinations
- start afresh with
- She wanted to start afresh with a new job and a new attitude.
- start afresh from scratch
- The project was so messy that we decided to start afresh from scratch.
- start afresh after
- After the divorce, he started afresh in a small apartment.
Synonyms and how they differ
- start over
- This is more common in American English and is slightly more informal than 'start afresh'.
- begin again
- This is more neutral and can be used in any context, while 'start afresh' often implies a fresh start after a problem.
Opposites
Commonly confused: start afresh or start off?
start afresh vs start off
This means to begin a journey or an activity, not to begin again. 'Start afresh' means to begin again from the beginning.
Practice
Complete the sentence: 'After losing all his money, he had to ___ afresh.'
Choose one answer.
'Start afresh' is the fixed phrase. 'Begin afresh' is possible but less common; 'go afresh' and 'make afresh' are not used.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “start afresh”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.