noun
mood
mood
noun
1
A temporary state of mind or feeling.
"She was in a great mood after getting the good news."
"His mood darkened as soon as the meeting started."
2
The overall feeling or atmosphere created by something, such as a piece of music, a film, or a room.
"The candlelight and soft music set a romantic mood for dinner."
3
A sullen, irritable state of mind.
"He's been in a mood ever since his car broke down."
4
(grammar) A verb form showing whether a statement is a fact, a command, a wish, or a possibility.
""If I were you" uses the subjunctive mood, not the indicative."
How to Use Mood
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow someone is feeling right now, or the atmosphere something creates.
Common mistake
The grammatical "mood" (indicative, subjunctive, imperative) is a completely different, technical sense from the everyday "how you're feeling" sense.
Common pairings
in a good mood
in a bad mood
set the mood
mood swing
Word Forms
moods plural, moods plural
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She was in a great _____ after getting the good news.
Etymology
From Old English mod, meaning "mind, spirit, or courage" — the word originally leaned more toward "temperament" and "bravery" than today's narrower sense of a passing feeling.