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.

California has a 1.2% payroll tax on wages with no income cap.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

In addition, “the data shows that some California families are relocating to less expensive suburban communities like Elk Grove and Vacaville.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

“They are unwilling to depart with their wealth,” said John Duffy, an economics professor at the University of California, Irvine.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

California Attorney General Rob Bonta says the case returns to the judge to determine damages and penalties.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

FrontPoint and Cornwall were both missing from the piece, but the investor most conspicuously absent from the Bloomberg News article sat alone in his office, in Cupertino, California.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis