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 California city—once a poster child for drought—is producing so much fresh water with its Carlsbad ocean-desalination plant that Arizona and Nevada are pursuing deals for millions of gallons.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

And in Nebraska, Independent Dan Osborn, who is challenging incumbent Republican Pete Ricketts, took in $80,000 more from disclosed California donors than from Nebraskans.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

The California governor’s race keeps getting more interesting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

In California, the appeal of a new or used EV is twofold — gas prices are especially high, and charging infrastructure is more developed than in many other states.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

"My hand hasn't been this tired since I instant-messaged my pen pal in California for an hour."

From "Scream for Ice Cream: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #2" by Carolyn Keene