moody

¹ American  

[moo-dee] / ˈmu di /

adjective

moodier, moodiest

1. given to gloomy, depressed, or sullen moods; ill-humored.

   Synonyms:

   brooding, morose, sulky

2. proceeding from or showing such a mood.

   a moody silence.

3. expressing or exhibiting sharply varying moods; temperamental.

---

Moody ² American  

[moo-dee] / ˈmu di /

noun

1. Dwight Lyman 1837–99, U.S. evangelist.

2. Helen Wills. Wills, Helen Newington.

3. William Vaughn 1869–1910, U.S. poet and playwright.

---

moody ¹ British  

/ ˈmuːdɪ /

adjective

1. sullen, sulky, or gloomy

2. temperamental or changeable

---

Moody ² British  

/ ˈmuːdɪ /

noun

1. Dwight Lyman. 1837–99, US evangelist and hymnodist, noted for his revivalist campaigns in Britain and the US with I. D. Sankey

---

Other Word Forms

• moodily adverb
• moodiness noun
• unmoody adjective

Etymology

Origin of moody

before 900; Middle English mody, Old English mōdig. See mood ¹, -y ¹

Explanation

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."

Example Sentences

He mostly just seems like a moody, unsatisfied teen, drawing elaborate maps and sometimes playing with his siblings sweetly.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

But while the moody harmonic progression and title might suggest an ode, nothing in Mr. Picton’s songs is ever easy, or obvious.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

It features a new aesthetic, replacing an earlier moody, neon-lit look with a more neo-western feel, complete with panoramic desert vistas.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

"His moody, meticulously composed silver gelatin portraits shaped how audiences saw stars like Raj Kapoor, Nargis, Dev Anand, Meena Kumari and Dilip Kumar," the curatorial note says.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

“I get moody too. It’s normal. It’s what we’re supposed to do. I mean, we’re teenagers.”

From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven