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 campaign kicks off against Paraguay in nearby Los Angeles on Friday, before a detour to Seattle to face Australia, then back to southern California for Turkey.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

The California smartphone maker has lagged behind its competitors in the AI race as tech companies pour hundreds of billions of dollars into advancing their chatbots and investing in data centers and other infrastructure.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

California also lets people register and vote on Election Day.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

She is surely on course to break her major duck sometime soon and in California last Sunday it was only the brilliance of a dominant world number one that bettered the British star.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

“Seems like I ought to help. Become a land rush man. Set aside my guns. California and the Pacific Ocean aren’t going anywhere.”

From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes