mode

IPA/məʊd/
KK[mˈod]IPA/məʊd/

mode — noun

  • modesingular
  • modesplural

1. a particular way in which something is done, experienced, or organized — for ins

1.nounB1
Definition

a particular way in which something is done, experienced, or organized — for instance, whether you drive or take the train is your mode of travel, and whether you send an email or make a call is your mode of communication.

Example

Hoa chose the bus as her main mode of transport for getting to work.

mode of transport

The company switched to a remote mode of working after the pandemic began.

mode of working

Common collocations
  • mode of transport
  • mode of communication
  • mode of operation
  • switching modes
  • different modes
  • in automatic mode
Synonyms
  • way

    more general and informal; the everyday replacement for 'mode'

  • method

    suggests a planned, systematic approach rather than a general arrangement

  • manner

    focuses on the personal style or behaviour aspect

  • system

    emphasizes an organized set of rules or procedures

Grammar Patterns

mode of + noun

Usage Note

Common in the phrases 'mode of transport', 'mode of communication', and 'mode of operation'. It often pairs with 'of' plus a noun describing the system or method.

Common Mistakes

I like her mode of teaching English.
I like her way of teaching English.
'mode' sounds overly technical in everyday contexts; 'way' or 'method' is more natural.

2. in mathematics and statistics, the single value or score that appears more times

2.nounB2
Definition

in mathematics and statistics, the single value or score that appears more times than any other in a collection of numbers.

Example

In the set of test scores 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, the mode is 5 because it appears twice.

the mode is [number]

Ritu calculated the mode of her survey data to identify the most common answer.

calculate the mode of [data]

Common collocations
  • the mode of a set
  • modal value
  • calculate the mode
  • mean median and mode
  • bimodal
  • unimodal
Synonyms
  • modal value

    the technical synonym; 'modal' is the adjective form

Grammar Patterns

the mode of + noun phrase

Usage Note

One of three measures of central tendency together with the mean (average) and the median (middle value). A data set may have more than one mode (bimodal) or no mode.

Common Mistakes

The mode is the same as the average.
The mode is the most frequent value, while the average (mean) is the sum divided by the count.
learners often confuse mode with mean or median.

3. a particular style of appearance, especially in clothing, that is widely accepte

3.nounB1
Definition

a particular style of appearance, especially in clothing, that is widely accepted and admired during a certain period in a society.

Example

Flared trousers were the mode in the 1970s but went out of style later.

the mode in [decade]

At the fashion show, Shirin noticed that bright colours were the current mode among designers.

Common collocations
  • in mode
  • out of mode
  • the current mode
  • à la mode
  • all the mode
Synonyms
  • fashion

    the modern, everyday word; wider in scope

  • style

    broader than 'mode' — includes personal expression, not just period trends

  • trend

    emphasizes the directional movement, what is currently rising in popularity

  • vogue

    similar register to 'mode'; also somewhat formal or dated

Grammar Patterns

in mode

out of mode

the mode

Usage Note

Less common in modern everyday English than 'fashion' or 'style'. Found more in historical or literary descriptions. The French borrowing 'à la mode' (in the fashion) survives in dessert names ('pie à la mode').

Common Mistakes

Wearing hats is the mode this year.
Wearing hats is the fashion this year.
'mode' for fashion is dated; use 'fashion' or 'style' in modern speech.

4. a fixed sequence of musical notes with a specific pattern of intervals between t

4.nounB2
Definition

a fixed sequence of musical notes with a specific pattern of intervals between them, which gives a piece of music its basic tonal character — for example, the major mode sounds bright and happy while the minor mode sounds sadder and darker.

Example

Reuben practised the Dorian mode on his guitar until the notes felt natural and fluid.

the Dorian mode

The piece was in the minor mode, giving it a sad and serious feeling.

in the minor mode

Common collocations
  • major mode
  • minor mode
  • Dorian mode
  • Phrygian mode
  • modal music
  • in the key/mode of
Synonyms
  • scale

    broader term — all modes are scales, but not all scales are modes; 'scale' includes chromatic, pentatonic, etc.

  • tonality

    refers to the system of keys and chords rather than the specific interval pattern

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] mode

in the [adjective] mode

Usage Note

Western music commonly uses the major and minor modes. The other church modes — Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian — are named after ancient Greek and medieval traditions and are often used in folk, jazz, and modal rock music.

Common Mistakes

This song is in the mode of C major.
This song is in the key of C major.
'mode' and 'key' are related but not the same; a key specifies the tonic and scale, while a mode specifies the interval pattern within that key.

5. a grammatical category of a verb that shows how the speaker regards what they ar

5.nounB2
Definition

a grammatical category of a verb that shows how the speaker regards what they are saying — for example, stating a fact (indicative), issuing a command (imperative), or expressing a wish or possibility (subjunctive).

Example

In French, the subjunctive mode follows expressions of doubt or emotion like 'il faut que'.

subjunctive mode

Christopher learned that the imperative mode gives direct commands like 'Sit down' or 'Help him'.

imperative mode

Common collocations
  • indicative mode
  • imperative mode
  • subjunctive mode
  • grammatical mode
  • verb mode
  • mode of the verb
Synonyms
  • mood

    the more common term in modern English grammar; 'mood' and 'mode' are interchangeable for this sense

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] mode

in the [adjective] mode

Usage Note

In English grammar, the term 'mood' is far more common than 'mode' for this concept, though 'mode' is used in some linguistic traditions. The three main modes in English are indicative (factual statements), imperative (commands), and subjunctive (wishes, hypotheticals).

Common Mistakes

The indicative mode and the subjunctive mode are the same in English.
The indicative states facts, while the subjunctive expresses wishes or hypotheticals
for example, "I were" in "If I were you" is subjunctive.' — learners often miss the subjunctive because it is less visually distinct in English than in Romance languages.

Word family

  • modal
    adjectiveB2
  • modality
    nounC1
  • modish
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Way is the most general and common word for how something is done — it fits almost any situation and is the natural choice in everyday conversation. Method suggests a planned, systematic approach that follows a set order of steps. Manner focuses more on the personal style, behaviour, or attitude with which something is carried out. Mode is slightly more formal than way and often describes a chosen or preset arrangement, especially for equipment settings, transport, or communication channels. System emphasizes an organized set of procedures that work together as a whole. For example, 'the fastest way to get there is by train' sounds natural, but 'the fastest mode of transport is by train' sounds more technical — fine in a brochure, odd in casual speech.

way ↗method ↗manner ↗system ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • mode of transport
  • mode of communication
  • mode of operation
  • switch modes
  • set to a mode

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'modus' meaning 'measure, manner, way, rule'. The word entered English through French 'mode', keeping the core sense of 'way of doing something'. The fashion sense ('à la mode') developed in the 1600s in French and spread into English. The musical sense comes from the Renaissance use of 'mode' to describe medieval church scales. The statistical sense appeared in the late 1800s as mathematicians sought a name for the most frequent value in a data set. The grammatical sense has been used since the 1500s alongside the more common term 'mood'.