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.

Fundamentally, the city remains in the grips of a housing crisis affecting all of California.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

All three were believed to be wearing seatbelts, the California Highway Patrol said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

The bill has already passed the California State Assembly and is now being considered by the State Senate.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

Martha Bailey, a professor of economics and director of the California Center for Population Research at the University of California, Los Angeles, thinks the national conversation gets it all wrong.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

“You couldn’t do the analysis. You couldn’t say, ‘Give me all the ones with all California in them.’

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis