retrofit

verb

ret·ro·fit | \ ˈre-trō-ˌfit,

ˌre-trō-ˈfit\

retrofitted or retrofit; retrofitting; retrofits

Definition of retrofit

1 : to furnish (something, such as a computer, airplane, or building) with new or modified parts or equipment not available or considered necessary at the time of manufacture

2 : to install (new or modified parts or equipment) in something previously manufactured or constructed

3 : to adapt to a new purpose or need : modify retrofit the story for a new audience

Other Words from retrofit Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about retrofit

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Did You Know?

The concept of retrofitting became an urgent necessity during World War II, when weapons technology was advancing at an intense pace and planes and ships were becoming outdated even before their construction was complete, and the only solution was to retrofit the completed craft with the brand-new technology. Retrofitting was revived on a massive scale during the energy crisis of the 1970s, when new features were added to millions of old houses to make them more energy-efficient. Retrofitting is thus different from merely renovating, which may not involve any new technology at all.

Examples of retrofit in a Sentence

The factory has been retrofitted to meet the new safety regulations. We can retrofit your car with the new fuel system.

Recent Examples on the Web

Airlines including Delta, American and United have been retrofitting older planes with bins that can fit more bags. — Alison Sider, WSJ, "Airlines’ Boarding Changes Reward Higher-Paying Travelers," 21 Dec. 2018 In general, retrofitting an existing combat system onto a real-time online game makes fighting feel cheap and frustrating. — Sarah Leboeuf, Ars Technica, "Two weeks in, Fallout 76 is a lonely, glitchy, flawed mess," 28 Nov. 2018 Braces and retrofitting kits, however, usually don’t offer protection against impact. — Fox News, "Hurricane Florence: How to prepare your home for the worst," 12 Sep. 2018 Check with hardware stores for garage door retrofitting systems or braces to prevent the door from buckling inward. — Fox News, "Hurricane Florence: How to prepare your home for the worst," 12 Sep. 2018 As part of the partnership, Uber hopes to retrofit a fleet of Toyota Sienas with autonomous technology for real-world testing by 2021. — Sebastian Modak, Condé Nast Traveler, "Today in Self-Driving Cars: Jaguar Gives Them Eyes, Toyota Gives Them $500M," 28 Aug. 2018 The department spent about $400,000 to retrofit a consular building in the Arnona neighborhood to serve as the embassy. — Rory Jones, WSJ, "5 Things to Know About the U.S. Embassy’s Move to Jerusalem," 14 May 2018 Some of the designs aim to retrofit existing buildings with landing pads, to help keep costs low and improve the project’s chances of scaling citywide. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, "These Uber Air ‘Skyport’ concepts look straight out of Star Wars," 9 May 2018 Some cities are now in the midst of new efforts to retrofit buildings to better protect them during a major quake. — Rong-gong Lin Ii, latimes.com, "On anniversary of great 1906 quake, California still struggles to prepare for the next 'big one'," 18 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'retrofit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.