mood board

noun

variants or less commonly moodboard

ˈmüd-ˌbȯrd 

plural mood boards also moodboards

: a collection of images, fabrics, etc. assembled on a physical or digital board and used as aesthetic inspiration when planning the design of something (such as a project, event, or room)

Mood boards are a way for businesses to get on the same page as their clients and they are used by interior designers, fashion designers, event planners, and more.

—Phoebe Avison

In one corner, a huge mood board was covered with colorful fabric swatches, paint samples and pictures of furniture.

—Tanda Gmiter

This white dress sums up my summer fashion moodboard—it's lightweight, comfortable, and takes about zero effort to style.

—Brooke Knappenberger

compare vision board

Examples of mood board in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Our ideal mood board features elegant white and silver tablecloths and plates, gold silverware, and notes of blue and green in the centerpieces and napkins. —Kylie Petty, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2026

In July 2016, the same year that Epstein bought a second private island in the Caribbean, Great Saint James, Pinto assembled a 20-page mood board for a residence there that would include a living room, office, VIP suites, and twin bedrooms. —Adam Robb, Curbed, 3 Mar. 2026

Selena Gomez’s Old Hollywood wedding bob, which earned a permanent spot on our mood boards after her September 2025 nuptials. —Grace McCarty, Glamour, 25 Feb. 2026

Any designers hoping to infuse their collections with cues from the zeitgeist-y movie, will most likely have Margot Robbie’s tour wardrobe pinned to their mood board. —Alice Cary, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mood board

• abhorred
• aboard
• accord
• adored
• afford
• award
• baseboard
• billboard
• blackboard
• boxboard
• breadboard
• broadsword