San Francisco Bay

American  

noun

1. a bay in western California: the harbor of San Francisco; connected with the Pacific Ocean by the Golden Gate strait. 50 miles (80 kilometers) long; 3–12 miles (5–19 kilometers) wide.

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San Francisco Bay British  

noun

1. an inlet of the Pacific in W California, linked with the open sea by the Golden Gate strait. Length: about 80 km (50 miles). Greatest width: 19 km (12 miles)

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San Francisco Bay Cultural  

1. Located in northern California; entered from the Pacific Ocean through a strait called the Golden Gate.

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Example Sentences

A network of thermal cameras launched Tuesday in the San Francisco Bay will monitor the giant ocean mammals, which can reach a length of some 50 feet, and alert boat captains in the vicinity.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

Kaiser Permanente is still trying to determine the source of bacteria responsible for 19 recent cases of Legionella infection identified at a hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

The San Francisco Bay Area is being warned of a moderate risk of heat illness for Mother’s Day weekend and beyond, especially for inland areas.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

Ivan Lamptey, an accountant in Sacramento, Calif., leaves home at 5 a.m. five days a week to drive about 120 miles each way to work in Fremont, a city in the San Francisco Bay Area.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

He gazed in trepidation at the white-crested churning water of the San Francisco Bay as they headed across the San Mateo bridge.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai