retrofitted or retrofit; retrofitting; retrofits
Synonyms of retrofit

transitive verb

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

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during World War II, when weapons technology was advancing at an intense pace and planes and ships were becoming outdated even before their construction was complete, and the only solution was to retrofit the completed craft with the brand-new technology.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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For marketers, this means trust cannot be retrofitted after automation grows. Hope Frank, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Moreover, retrofitting existing offshore wind turbines with cable-stay reinforcements offers operators a cost-effective way to extend the lifespan of aging assets. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026 European consumers have lagged behind the rest of the world in adopting AC, due to high energy costs, expensive installation fees and restrictions on retrofitting the continent’s older buildings. Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 30 July 2026 Rather than retrofitting a factory with a robot arm here and a vision sensor there, Foundational makes physical products, starting with data-center hardware, using factories designed from scratch to be run by software. Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for retrofit

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of retrofit was in 1949

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Retrofit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrofit. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

retrofit

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

More from Merriam-Webster on retrofit

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!