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.

“There’s this common ground here,” said Nemiah Guimbatan, 30, a first-time attendee from California.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

In 2025, more than 116,000 complaints of online scams in California were filed to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, according to the report.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

In California, mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day are legally counted as they arrive in the days following.

From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026

California held its nonpartisan primary last week, and one of the most closely watched contests was the Los Angeles mayoral race.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

For the abolitionists, Congress prohibited slavery in the new state of California and the slave trade was banned in the capital District of Columbia.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock