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 astronauts did the first slingshot around the Moon in more than 50 years and traveled deeper into space than any humans before -- culminating in a smooth splashdown Friday off the coast of California.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

In Southern California, the National Weather Service suggested that people be ready to adjust plans and monitor the situation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

In the wake of the California Food Safety Act and growing pressure from food manufacturers, the FDA officially announced a ban on Red Dye No. 3 in food and drugs on January 15, 2025.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

From the Rocky Mountains west to California and into Western Canada, record numbers of resorts closed early this season.

From Slate • Apr. 11, 2026

Fully eight months later, I was in a boatyard farther south in California, getting my bottom paint renewed, and there was a state or county peace officer in the same boatyard.

From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen