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.

He is now facing criminal investigations in New York and California.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Some of California’s industry and labor power brokers were consolidating around his campaign, as were top political consultants with connections to California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

“The attacks are not random,” said Kevan Harris, an authority on Iranian economic development and society at the University of California, Los Angeles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Metcalf, who previously served as director of the California Dept. of Housing and Community Development, said such a focus on awarding dollars based on the estimated development cost isn’t the norm among public agencies.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

California had been in a drought for ten of the thirteen years she’d been alive.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz