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.

The candidates must also have raised, contributed or lent to their campaigns at least $1 million, based on publicly available data from the California secretary of state.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

“With no expense spared, this property boasts luxury quality construction, with grand scale and volume throughout, flooded with fresh air and brilliant Southern California sunlight,” the description stated.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

West Coast, especially in California, where gas prices have surged to nearly $6 a gallon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

“On average, teams outperform lone inventors,” says Lee Fleming, a management professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

At some point the next day, once we’ve passed into the state of California, I fall asleep.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy