Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

San Francisco

American  
[san fruhn-sis-koh, fran-] / ˌsæn frənˈsɪs koʊ, fræn- /

noun

  1. a seaport in W California, on San Francisco Bay: earthquake and fire 1906; United Nations Conference 1945.


San Francisco British  
/ ˌsæn frænˈsɪskəʊ /

noun

  1. a port in W California, situated around the Golden Gate: developed rapidly during the California gold rush; a major commercial centre and one of the world's finest harbours. Pop: 751 682 (2003 est)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

San Francisco Cultural  
  1. A city in northern California.


Discover More

A major West Coast intellectual center.

Also, a center of gay culture.

Known for its history of major earthquakes.

Site of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Other Word Forms

  • San Franciscan adjective

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.

In December 2025, a large power outage in San Francisco led Waymo taxis to stop working around the city, causing huge traffic jams.

From BBC

In 1898, a conservative Supreme Court upheld that rule and affirmed the citizenship of Wong Kim Ark. He was born in San Francisco to Chinese parents who later returned to China.

From Los Angeles Times

Martha Lincoln, a medical anthropology associate professor at San Francisco State, is among those who are opposed to AI.

From Los Angeles Times

LONDON—United Airlines dangled a tantalizing offer a day before my flight to San Francisco.

From The Wall Street Journal

The U.S. has a strong record of assimilating newcomers, from Asians in San Francisco to Irish in New York to Cubans in Miami, and birthright citizenship has been part of that story.

From The Wall Street Journal