mood

¹ American  

[mood] / mud /

noun

1. a state or quality of feeling at a particular time.

   What's the boss' mood today?

   Synonyms:

   state of mind, frame of mind, disposition, humor, temper

2. a distinctive emotional quality or character.

   The mood of the music was almost funereal.

3. a prevailing emotional tone or general attitude.

   the country's mood.

4. a frame of mind disposed or receptive, as to some activity or thing.

   I'm not in the mood to see a movie.

5. a state of sullenness, gloom, or bad temper.

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mood ² American  

[mood] / mud /

noun

1. Grammar.

   1. a set of categories for which the verb is inflected in many languages, and that is typically used to indicate the syntactic relation of the clause in which the verb occurs to other clauses in the sentence, or the attitude of the speaker toward what they are saying, such as certainty or uncertainty, wish or command, emphasis or hesitancy.

   2. a set of syntactic devices in some languages that is similar to this set in function or meaning, involving the use of auxiliary words, such as can, may, might.

   3. any of the categories of these sets.

      the Latin indicative, imperative, and subjunctive moods.

2. Logic. a classification of categorical syllogisms by the use of three letters that name, respectively, the major premise, the minor premise, and the conclusion.

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mood ¹ British  

/ muːd /

noun

1. a temporary state of mind or temper

   a cheerful mood

2. a sullen or gloomy state of mind, esp when temporary

   she's in a mood

3. a prevailing atmosphere or feeling

4. in a favourable state of mind (for something or to do something)

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mood ² British  

/ muːd /

noun

1. grammar a category of the verb or verbal inflections that expresses semantic and grammatical differences, including such forms as the indicative, subjunctive, and imperative

2. logic one of the possible arrangements of the syllogism, classified solely by whether the component propositions are universal or particular and affirmative or negative Compare figure

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mood Idioms  

1. see in a bad mood; in the mood.

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Etymology

Origin of mood¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English mod, mode “mind” (as opposed to body), Old English mōd “mind, spirit; courage”; cognate with German Mut, Gothic mōths “courage,” Old Norse mōthr “anger”

Origin of mood²

First recorded in 1525–35; special use of mood ¹ by influence of mode ¹

Explanation

Are you feeling good or bad, cheerful or irritable right now? This is your mood. Mood refers to how you feel at the present time. If you want to ask your boss for a raise, wait until he or she is in a good mood. Don't ask, though, if he or she is "in a mood" - that means the person is grumpy. If you are in the mood for something like ice cream or spicy food, you would like to have it now. Mood can also describe the attitude of a group of people or the feeling of a film, novel or piece of music.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mood

It doesn’t matter the subject or setting, Carter is always aiming to communicate a particular mood: “ethereal and uplifting.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Concerns about the outcome of the midterms that will determine control of Congress, coupled with September’s well-earned reputation as a rough month for investors, were also contributing to investors’ defensive mood.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

It takes a little holiday break and Alice’s decision to attend Zelda’s holiday party to soften her mood.

From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2026

Max Verstappen is in a no-nonsense mood - even more than usual.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

By autumn of 1860, Americans struggled with the spread of armed conflicts over slavery, and American newspapers reflected the country’s grim mood.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

• air
• atmosphere
• attitude
• aura
• character
• color
• condition
• desire
• disposition
• emotion
• feeling
• frame of mind
• humor
• inclination
• mind
• personality
• response
• scene
• spirit
• temperament