retrofit
verb
ˌre-trō-ˈfit
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during World War II, when weapons technology was advancing at an intense pace and planes and ships were becoming outdated even before their construction was complete, and the only solution was to retrofit the completed craft with the brand-new technology.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
Josh Brown,sean Russo,
CNBC,
2 July 2026
Other reinforcements, like adding hurricane straps to your rafters, retrofitting soffits and bracing roof trusses, can further reduce your risk of structural damage.
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Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
The internet is full of guides to retrofitting an existing canoe with sailing rigs, but most of them require you to drill into the hull—a risky alteration for less crafty owners.
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Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
2 July 2026
Trying to retrofit the economics afterward is where brands get into trouble.
—
Esha Chhabra,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for retrofit
Cite this Entry
“Retrofit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrofit. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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retrofit
verb
