mood board

noun

variants or less commonly moodboard
plural mood boards also moodboards
: a collection of objects, images, etc. that is assembled often on a flat surface and used as inspiration for something (such as a design or goal)
Anna Sui treats her mood boards a bit like shrines. A focal point in her new studio …, four separate panels, each bordered in a trompe l'oeil Art Nouveau frame, set off photographs, fabric swatches and illustrations by Mary Blair …Ruth La Ferla
Oftentimes clients give him a lot of creative freedom, he said, because they like the style of other projects he has done. He will then create a mood board, with images and phrases to inspire his creation.Rachel Spacek
The producer came to London to my house to have a meeting with me. They brought me the script and this strange kind of moodboard with pictures and drawings …Noomi Rapace, quoted at yahoo.com

Examples of mood board in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the Cavalli corset—the cheetah look with the hat, which was the first shot of the day—has actually been saved on my Pinterest mood board for years. Irene Kim, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2025 For the album, the mood board calls for disco balls, not balled up Kleenex. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2025 The PowerPoint functioned as a kind of mood board, featuring images from Reijn’s own life. Alex Barasch, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024 In addition, the designer’s mood board was pinned with images ranging from cinematic shots of Monica Bellucci to editorials and runway moments starring pets — a prelude to the dash of pet therapy and humor Koma injected into the lineup. Sandra Salibian, WWD, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for mood board 

Word History

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mood board was in 1985

Dictionary Entries Near mood board

Cite this Entry

“Mood board.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mood%20board. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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