as in to rebuild
to provide (something) with new parts that were not available when it was originally built
The factory has been retrofitted to meet the new safety regulations. We can retrofit your car with the new fuel system.
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Recent Examples of retrofit
So before a single work could be installed, the team had to retrofit the building.
—
Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 4 May 2026
See the Polaroid camera retrofitted to eject toilet paper.
—Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
Boeing has been retrofitting 747s originally built for a now-defunct Russian airliner.
—Jonathan J. Cooper, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Kroger’s agreement to remedy refrigeration leaks Kroger agreed to retrofit or replace 600 large commercial refrigeration systems in its stores to reduce ozone-depleting emissions, the DOJ said.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for retrofit
Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 4 May 2026
See the Polaroid camera retrofitted to eject toilet paper.
—Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
Boeing has been retrofitting 747s originally built for a now-defunct Russian airliner.
—Jonathan J. Cooper, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Kroger’s agreement to remedy refrigeration leaks Kroger agreed to retrofit or replace 600 large commercial refrigeration systems in its stores to reduce ozone-depleting emissions, the DOJ said.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for retrofit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrofit
Verb
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That could leave states on the hook for millions of dollars to rebuild roads, schools and other infrastructure after tornadoes, floods and other disasters that do not cause enough widespread damage to meet the new criteria for federal assistance.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
7 May 2026
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Tehran has touted the strait as a potential revenue stream that could help rebuild the country after destruction caused by American and Israeli strikes.—
Eleni Giokos,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
Verb
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The project is particularly acrimonious, drawing out geographical battles between north and south and thorny fights between officials who want to build the tunnel and environmentalists and Delta residents seeking to protect the local ecosystem and their way of life.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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If companies want to build data centers, for example, they should be required not only to absorb any electricity-cost increases but also to pay for upgrades to our grid infrastructure.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retrofit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrofit. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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