retool

verb

re·​tool (ˌ)rē-ˈtül 

retooled; retooling; retools

transitive verb

1

: to reequip with tools

2

: reorganize

3

: revise, modify

intransitive verb

: to make especially minor changes or improvements

retool for the future

Examples of retool in a Sentence

The factory has been retooled.

The company is retooling its sales strategies.

The company is retooling for the future.

Recent Examples on the Web

United have retooled their attack by spending about £200million ($270m) on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. —Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025

The changes are so fundamental that Ford is retooling the assembly line itself—the very thing Henry Ford used to get the world motoring a century ago. —Patrick George, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2025

Renovations on retooling the buildings, known as Alliance Center East 2 and 3, began late last year and are now open as SGS Studio 1 and 2, Berry said. —Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 2025

The Mets went 75-87 and began retooling in 2023 before coming back from 11 games under .500 last season to reach the NLCS. —Jerry Beach, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for retool

• ampoule
• bascule
• carpool
• cesspool
• ferrule
• footstool
• guayule
• lobule
• misrule
• preschool
• pustule
• whirlpool

Kids Definition

retool

verb

re·​tool (ˈ)rē-ˈtül 

1

: to equip again with new or different tools

retool a factory

2

: to make changes or improvements to

retool that idea