Mold and mould are both correct and acceptable spellings of the same word. They refer to fungus or a container for liquid as a noun. As a verb, they refer to the act of shaping something. The difference between the two is mold is the preferred American English spelling while mould is the preferred British English spelling.
When in doubt, use mould in the U.K. since mould and the United Kingdom have the letter “u.” Use mold in America and use mould in British-English speaking countries.
When to Use Mold
We used mold as the American English spelling of the word that means a fungus, a hollow container for liquid, or to shape something. When we talk about mold as a soft substance, it’s typically grey, black, or green that grows on spoiled food or decaying matter.
Mold is American English
Mold as a Noun
A soft substance that grows on decaying matter
There’s mold on the cheese.
The wood had green mold.
A hollow container
She’s making lime jello in a mold.
He poured a liquid into a silicon mold.
A distinctive nature or character
Carmella didn’t fit into the standard ‘successful businesswoman’ mold.
There’s a new superhero character in the ‘Wonder Woman’ mold.
Mold as a Verb
To form in a mold
Zendaya molded the sausage meat into little balls.
Mold the dough into a bun carefully.
To influence someone’s character or attitudes
As a teacher, I want to mold my students to be well-rounded people.
The media is trying to mold the opinions of the public.
To make something fit closely
The lining of the raincoat molds itself to the shape of your body.
The embroidered cloth molds perfectly to the table.
When to Use Mould
We used mould as the British English spelling of the word. Mould has the same definitions of mold. It also means a fungus, a hollow container for liquid, or to shape something. In terms of mould as a soft substance, it’s typically grey, black, or green that grows on spoiled food or decaying matter.
Mould is British English
Mould as a Noun
A soft substance that grows on decaying matter
You can still cut the mould on the cheese.
The bread had grey mould.
A hollow container
Pour the chocolate into a star-shaped mould.
The mould had been poured with a pancake batter.
A distinctive nature or character
She was raised and moulded like her mother.
I wonder who will be the next character with a ‘Superman’ mould?
Mould as a Verb
To form in a mould
She wavers whether she’s going to mould the batter or not.
I moulded clay when I was a kid.
To influence someone’s character or attitudes
Because his opinions were heavily molded by the media, the disbursement was delayed.
They molded their child into an empathic person.
To make something fit closely
His tight costume molded around his body.
The wrapper was molded to the contours of the box.
Conclusion: Cannon vs. Canon: Which One is Correct?
Mold and mould are both correct spelling alternatives of the same word. Although they have the same meaning, they differ in usage. Mold is the preferred American spelling while mould is the preferred British spelling. Hence, use mold for American English contexts and mould in the British English contexts.
References:
Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.) Mold. In https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/ dictionary. Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/mold
Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.) Mould. In https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/ dictionary. Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/mould
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online. (n.d.). Mold. In https://www.ldoceonline.com/ dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/mold
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online. (n.d.). Mould. In https://www.ldoceonline.com/ dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/mould
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Mold. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mold
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Mould. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mould
Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries. n.d.).Mold. In https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/mold_1?q=mold
Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries. n.d.). Mould. In https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/mould_1?q=mould
