Dwight Lyman 1837–99, U.S. evangelist.
Helen Wills. Wills, Helen Newington.
William Vaughn 1869–1910, U.S. poet and playwright.
sullen, sulky, or gloomy
temperamental or changeable
before 900; Middle English mody, Old English mōdig. See mood 1, -y 1
If you're in a bad mood, especially when you were in a pretty good mood this morning, you can say you're moody. A moody person's emotions change unpredictably and often. Someone with erratic moods is moody — you could also call them temperamental or changeable. If you describe a painting or a piece of music as moody, you probably mean that it has a dark, gloomy nature. A moody play, for example, might be a little depressing, or at least melancholy. Moody, from the Old English modig, began by meaning "arrogant or proud," and around the late sixteenth century became "subject to gloomy spells."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They spent more than $3 million transforming the fixer-upper into a home with custom details, moody interiors and four fountains that embody the charm of historic Charleston.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
Two years ago, Sugar began as a stylish and moody homage to the black-and-white films of the 1940s and ’50s.
From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2026
Over the past few years, however, he has become moody and unwilling to help her.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
They cast a dim but moody light throughout the staircase, ending with an ornate mirror at the top.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
Twenty-nine years old, he is a slender man with delicate features, a shy, moody temperament, and astounding physical strength.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
Moody said Bush's guilty pleas had brought her some peace of mind.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Richard Moody, chief economist at Regions Financial, said the task force might end up making recommendations about improvements to U.S. statistical agencies.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
For used EVs, “this incentive helps what’s already a good deal become an even better deal,” said auto analyst Brian Moody.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
Efforts were being made to make improvements but Moody said she never felt a "full assurance" problems would be solved.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
“I want to go back,” she said to Moody as they stepped off the bus.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
But if fresh tomatoes are summer’s darling, sun-dried tomatoes are their moodier, more savory cousin.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
“Midnights,” from 2022, was a little moodier than 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department,” which was a little wordier than its predecessor, but both operated within a relatively narrow template.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2025
He even looked younger, swapping his clean-shaven exuberance for a moodier vibe, crooning ballads beneath a cap and shades that hid his face.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2025
Ms. Croft said that Angola has been “one of the moodier members, having staged multiple meeting walkouts in recent years.”
From New York Times ● Dec. 21, 2023
The weather’s grown moodier since I fell asleep.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
He works through his grandfather’s illness and eventual demise on “God Laughs,” the moodiest and most haunting song of the project.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 16, 2022
The album, their third and moodiest, was a distinct, post-punk swerve away from the hip-hop and breakbeat culture they had championed in Bristol.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 17, 2019
I would call wine the moodiest drink you could possibly imagine.
From New York Times ● Oct. 30, 2015
Chugging guitars set the tone for the rest of the album, which is their moodiest and most energetic since the reunion with Sprout.
From Time ● Feb. 21, 2014
"In the bathroom!" cried Uvo Delavoye, with the shock of laughter which was the refreshing finish of some of his moodiest fits.
From Witching Hill by Hornung, E. W. (Ernest William)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
