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 hedge fund founder and environmental activist spent $216 million of his own money on his campaign, and now joins the legion of other high-profile, self-funding candidates rejected by California voters.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

Jim Ross, a veteran California political consultant who didn’t work for either side of the proposal, said Lurie’s opposition made the measure a tough sell to voters given the mayor’s consistently high approval ratings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Since prediction markets are legal nationwide, the sportsbooks have an opportunity to onboard customers in populous states that haven’t legalized traditional sports betting, such as Texas and California.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

In 2024, California counted more than 406,000 late-arriving mail ballots, but they represented only about 2.5% of the statewide total.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

We’re staying at a place called the Lighthouse Motel in Driftaway Beach, California.

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