penelopize
3 synonyms for penelopize, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To keep putting something off by undoing earlier work, possibly meaning to redo it later.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Formed from the name Penelope and the suffix -ize, drawing on the story in Homer's Odyssey in which Penelope held off her many suitors by weaving a shroud that she unpicked every night to drag out the task.
Full origin of penelopize →