1
: a conscious state of mind or predominant emotion : feeling
He's been in a good mood all week.
also
: the expression of mood especially in art or literature
2
archaic
: a fit of anger : rage
3
a
: a prevailing attitude
the kind of mood that fostered the Salem witch trials—
Nat Hentoff
Nat Hentoff
b
: a receptive state of mind predisposing to action
was not in a giving mood at the time
c
: a distinctive atmosphere or context : aura
the weary city's sullen mood—Marilyn Stasio
Marilyn Stasiothe mood is quiet and sleepy, as guests pick blueberries and read by the pond—J. O. Nixon
J. O. Nixon1
: the form of a syllogism as determined by the quantity and quality of its constituent propositions
2
: distinction of form or a particular set of inflectional forms of a verb to express whether the action or state it denotes is conceived as fact or in some other manner (such as command, possibility, or wish)
3
Examples of mood in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebThéoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 4 May 2024
Despite this positive mood, the family keeps surviving under the instant threat of the Russian missiles that are taking advantage of Ukrainian air defense capabilities shortage.
—Yuriy Zaliznyak, ABC News, 3 May 2024
The mood was jubilant, and many were chatting or conferring with each other in small groups.
—Asher Stockler, USA TODAY, 2 May 2024
The mood was distinctly different during my visit to Sky Lagoon.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 2024
Here, their joy isn’t sourced from the Road March or the general Carnival mood.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 2 May 2024
Research has found that, in general, exercising is associated with improved mood and decreased levels of stress.
—Maggie O'Neill, Health, 2 May 2024
Hopefully Mother Nature is in a celebratory mood and stays as calm as possibly Saturday for the 100th May Fete Parade and Festival in Palo Alto.
—Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024
On the floor of the meeting after the vote on Wednesday morning, the mood was equally jubilant.
—Ruth Graham, New York Times, 1 May 2024
Noun
And despite all the alcohol introduced to the mix by the many on-site bars, the mood never felt tense.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 4 May 2024
Despite this positive mood, the family keeps surviving under the instant threat of the Russian missiles that are taking advantage of Ukrainian air defense capabilities shortage.
—Yuriy Zaliznyak, ABC News, 3 May 2024
The mood was jubilant, and many were chatting or conferring with each other in small groups.
—Asher Stockler, USA TODAY, 2 May 2024
The mood was distinctly different during my visit to Sky Lagoon.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 2024
Here, their joy isn’t sourced from the Road March or the general Carnival mood.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 2 May 2024
Research has found that, in general, exercising is associated with improved mood and decreased levels of stress.
—Maggie O'Neill, Health, 2 May 2024
Hopefully Mother Nature is in a celebratory mood and stays as calm as possibly Saturday for the 100th May Fete Parade and Festival in Palo Alto.
—Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024
On the floor of the meeting after the vote on Wednesday morning, the mood was equally jubilant.
—Ruth Graham, New York Times, 1 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mood.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mood
Cite this Entry
“Mood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mood. Accessed 7 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mood
1 of 2 noun1
: an emotional state of mind or feeling
also
: the feeling expressed in a work of art or literature
2
: a dominant attitude or spirit
the mood of the country was optimistic
3
: a distinctive atmosphere or context
the dark mood of the movie
mood
2 of 2 noun
: a set of forms of a verb that show whether the action or state expressed is to be thought of as a fact, a command, or a wish or possibility
Etymology
Noun
Old English mōd "a state of mind"
Noun
an altered form of mode
Medical Definition
mood
noun
: a conscious state of mind or predominant emotion : affective state : feeling sense 3
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