Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

in a bad mood

Idioms  
  1. In an irritable or depressed state of mind. For example, Dad's in a bad mood, so don't ask for anything right now. The antonym, in a good mood, refers to a cheerful, well-disposed state of mind, as in When the boss is in a good mood our whole day goes well. The phrase in a mood, meaning “disposed” or “inclined,” dates from about a.d. 1000. Also see in the mood.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

People shared consistent reasons for this: the news put them in a bad mood, they felt overwhelmed and powerless to act.

From Science Daily Jun. 16, 2026

The technology has made her work more challenging, Wilkins says: Customers who reach her often had to talk first to bots and are more likely to be in a bad mood.

From The Wall Street Journal May 27, 2026

The hard part’s learning how to switch gears — trying to be funny when you’re in a bad mood from the business call you just had to deal with.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 23, 2025

"Sometimes one of us would be in a bad mood or not want to go. It is beautiful looking back on it, but anything with children is quite challenging at the time."

From BBC Aug. 10, 2024

She’d been in a bad mood ever since losing her quiver.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training