California

[kal-uh-fawrn-yuh, -fawr-nee-uh] / ˌkæl əˈfɔrn yə, -ˈfɔr ni ə /

NOUN

u.s. state

Synonyms

WEAK

Bear Flag State Cal El Dorado Gold Coast Gold Rush State Golden Bear State Golden Poppy State Golden State La La Land Sunkist State

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“There’s this common ground here,” said Nemiah Guimbatan, 30, a first-time attendee from California.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

The Sheriff’s Department, at a news conference Wednesday, said that California is the No. 1 state in the U.S. for online fraud, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime 2025 report.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

In California, mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day are legally counted as they arrive in the days following.

From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026

California uses “blanket” primaries, which means the top-two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

After their three-week hiatus, the young players borrowed an old automobile from the editor of the California Chess Reporter, Guthrie McClain.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady