carefreeA carefree mood is without worries, like the first day of summer.
cheerfulA cheerful scene is in good spirits: sunshine, bright colors, friendly waves.
festiveA festive mood feels like a festival: music, lights and food to share.
joyfulA joyful mood is full of joy, like a birthday party in full swing.
jubilantA jubilant crowd is joyful after a win, cheering as the trophy goes up.
lightheartedA lighthearted story is free of worry, with silly jokes and small problems.
merryA merry mood is lively and cheerful, full of songs and laughter.
playfulA playful mood is full of fun, like kittens chasing a ball of yarn.
whimsicalA whimsical tale is fanciful and odd, like a teapot that sings.
Calm moods 8
calmA calm mood is still and quiet, with nothing rushing or loud.
dreamyA dreamy mood feels like a dream: soft, hazy and far away.
peacefulA peaceful scene is undisturbed: a quiet forest trail and birdsong.
relaxedA relaxed mood is easy, not strict, like a slow Sunday morning.
restfulA restful scene is peaceful, at rest: a cat asleep in a patch of sun.
sereneA serene mood is untroubled, like a still lake at dawn.
soothingA soothing scene is easing, gentle, like rain tapping on a window.
tranquilA tranquil setting is free of commotion, with slow waves and soft wind.
Sad moods 8
bleakA bleak scene is gloomy and somber: bare trees, cold wind, nobody in sight.
drearyA dreary mood is dismal and dull, like a long wet week indoors.
gloomyA gloomy scene is dark and dreary, like a damp day with gray skies.
hopelessA hopeless mood is without hope, like lost hikers as night falls.
lonelyA lonely mood is sad to be alone, like one boat on a wide gray sea.
melancholyA melancholy mood is sad and low, like an empty playground in the rain.
mournfulA mournful song is full of sorrow, slow and heavy.
sorrowfulA sorrowful goodbye is full of sadness and slow, heavy steps.
Tense and scary moods 9
anxiousAn anxious mood is worried, like waiting for test results.
chillingA chilling moment is cold with fear, when footsteps stop behind you.
creepyA creepy mood is uneasy and crawly, like spiders in a dusty attic.
eerieAn eerie mood is strange and scary, like fog on an empty street at night.
frighteningA frightening scene is causing fear: a door creaks open by itself.
menacingA menacing mood is full of threat, like a growl from the dark.
ominousAn ominous mood is threatening, like black clouds rolling in.
suspensefulA suspenseful mood is full of suspense: will the old rope hold?
tenseA tense scene is tight with worry as the last player steps up to kick.
Angry moods 6
bitterA bitter mood is angry and hurt, long after an unfair loss.
furiousA furious mood is extremely angry: slammed doors and shouting.
harshA harsh mood is rough and unkind, with cold words and no smiles.
hostileA hostile mood feels like an enemy is near: glares and sharp words.
indignantAn indignant mood is angry at unfairness, like a player blamed for no reason.
resentfulA resentful mood is full of ill will over something unfair.
Strange and magical moods 6
curiousA curious mood is odd, unusual, like a clock that runs backward.
enchantingAn enchanting scene is charming, like tiny lights strung through a garden.
magicalA magical mood is full of magic, like snow that sparkles at midnight.
mysteriousA mysterious mood is hard to explain: a locked box with no key.
puzzlingA puzzling mood is confusing: clues that do not fit together.
strangeA strange mood feels unfamiliar, as if the rules have changed.
Hopeful and thoughtful moods 7
hopefulA hopeful mood is full of hope, like the first green shoot after winter.
inspiringAn inspiring story is motivating: you finish it wanting to try harder.
nostalgicA nostalgic mood is longing for the past, like old family photos.
reflectiveA reflective mood is quiet and thoughtful, like writing in a journal at night.
sentimentalA sentimental mood is tender and fond, like finding an old note from a friend.
triumphantA triumphant mood is proud after success, like reaching a mountaintop.
upliftingAn uplifting ending is cheering: the lost dog finds its way home.
How it works
This mood words list holds 53 words in 7 moods: cheerful, calm, sad, tense and scary, angry, strange and magical, hopeful and thoughtful. Each card has a short meaning on the back and an example of the mood.
Read the full guide
Using the list of mood words in a lesson
Pick one set under Show only, read a passage aloud, and ask which card fits: is the forest eerie or serene? The example line on each back is a scene to compare with. Then have pupils find the words in the passage that set the mood.
Printing a set
Once a card is turned, Print cards puts 12 on a sheet, the word on the front and the meaning behind it. Every set fits on one sheet; all 53 cards take 5.
Before a scary chapter, lay the cards in a line from calm to tense, then move a marker as the mood shifts.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between mood and tone?
Mood is the feeling a text creates in the reader; tone is the speaker's attitude toward the subject. A story can have an eerie mood told in a playful tone, and many words here name a tone as well.
Which grades is this mood words list for?
Grades 4 to 8, by our reading. Cheerful, calm and sad hold everyday words such as merry and lonely; the tense and hopeful sets add ominous, menacing and nostalgic for older readers.
Why is there no quiz mode?
A meaning can be put many right ways, so a typed answer could be marked wrong unfairly. Flip each card, say the meaning aloud, then press Got it or Missed it.