To start afresh means to begin again with a clean slate, as if you're doing something for the very first time. When you crumple up a messy drawing and pull out a blank sheet of paper, you're starting afresh. When a soccer team falls behind in the first half but comes back energized after halftime, they're approaching the game afresh.

The word means clearing away past mistakes or complications and approaching something with renewed energy and a fresh perspective. If you and a friend have an argument and later decide to start afresh, you're both agreeing to move forward without dwelling on what went wrong.

Scientists who can't solve a problem sometimes step away, then return to it afresh with new ideas. A writer might delete a confusing paragraph and begin it afresh with clearer thinking. The word captures that hopeful feeling of a new beginning, when previous struggles or false starts no longer matter, and you can focus entirely on doing things right this time.