retrofit
verb
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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during World War II, when weapons technology was advancing at an intense pace and planes and ships were becoming outdated even before their construction was complete, and the only solution was to retrofit the completed craft with the brand-new technology.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
Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
The necessary wiring is integrated during production, meaning the system cannot be retrofitted to existing Porsche EVs.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2025
Because of this, the technology also cannot be retrofitted onto any of Porsche’s other EVs for the time being.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 4 Sep. 2025
According to Kirkland, these $4,000 robots (financed by the Water District) are toy bunnies that are retrofitted to emit heat, smell, and move.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrofit
Cite this Entry
“Retrofit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrofit. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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retrofit
verb
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