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.

After that, she and her husband moved to California, where she shortened her commute drastically and was hired as a rabbinical intern at Congregation Emeth in Morgan Hill.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

It was the seventh Clade I mpox case in California, and the resident needed to be hospitalized for treatment.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

The California Democrat and Texas Republican said they planned to leave Congress in the wake of sexual-misconduct allegations that sparked calls for them to quit or face expulsion votes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

Three men have been sentenced in California for an insurance scam using someone in a bear costume to stage fake attacks on luxury cars.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

House prices in the sand states had risen fastest during the boom and so would likely crash fastest in a bust—and when they did, those low California default rates would soar.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis