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.

For Southern California, that could mean rain — and lots of it.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

Polymarket has an advantage there: U.S. states with the highest Hispanic populations, namely Texas and California, have yet to legalize traditional sports betting.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

Given the merger’s potential impact in Hollywood, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said early on that he planned to subject the transaction to scrutiny.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

A call coming from California would be routed first to Phoenix, I think, or somewhere in Nevada.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse