go back to square one

idiom

: to start over
His idea didn't work, so he had to go back to square one.

Examples of go back to square one 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.
The pandemic has made all businesses go back to square one and reinvent themselves, so now is your time to shine! Michael Graziano, Forbes, 31 Aug. 2021 Since the current vaccines are already in circulation, manufacturers probably wouldn’t have to go back to square one to get a vaccine approved for a new strain, experts have said. Dallas News, 10 Jan. 2021

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Cite this Entry

“Go back to square one.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go%20back%20to%20square%20one. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.

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