Definition of RETROFIT

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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during World War II, when weapons technology was advancing at an intense pace and planes and ships were becoming outdated even before their construction was complete, and the only solution was to retrofit the completed craft with the brand-new technology.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

Almost 230 older 737-800s also will be retrofitted with the petite washroom. — Mary Schlangenstein, latimes.com, "Airline bathrooms are getting smaller — you’re not imagining it," 10 July 2018 Today, the piece still houses a collection—in this case the London owners’ antique snuff boxes—but it has been retrofitted for kitchen amenities, including a dishwasher. — Karen Bruno, WSJ, "Kitchen Islands Emerge as Luxury Home Must-Have," 5 July 2018 Over the years, the potato was retrofitted with lockers and lights and shelves for the crew’s gear, promotional material and other potato paraphernalia. — Bill Manny, idahostatesman, "New Big Idaho Potato has AC, a mashed-potato interior and cushy digs for Spuddy Buddy," 20 June 2018 Ford has retrofitted a fleet of its Transit vans with touchpad-accessible lockers, from which Postmates customers with the right access code can retrieve their food. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, "Ford’s ‘self-driving’ vans are now delivering food in Miami," 11 June 2018 Made of 14-gauge steel, the McHB Browning (Ma Deuce) replica machine gun cannot be retrofitted to shoot real bullets. — Hunter Woodall And Mike Hendricks, kansascity, "Kobach parade gun may be 'red meat' for base, but would it hurt in general election?," 4 June 2018 Local health workers and international aid groups retrofitted warehouses with power supplies, alarms and switches, sub-80 degree freezers, air conditioners, and so on. — Adam Rogers, WIRED, "The Wild Logistical Ride of the Ebola Vaccine's High-Tech Thermos," 29 May 2018 Almost all have been retrofitted by bracing parapets around the building’s exterior, anchoring walls to the roof, and removing or stabilizing exterior features such as stairways, balconies, marquees and cornices. — John Wilkens, sandiegouniontribune.com, "San Diego's vulnerable buildings," 13 May 2018 It’s been retrofitted with a 350-cubic-inch engine, and the interior looks like a science experiment. — Jason Nark, Philly.com, "Destined for the junkyard, beloved lemons hit the South Jersey track," 11 May 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.