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

It also gobbled up nearly two-thirds of U.S. venture capital last year, with San Francisco Bay Area startups such as OpenAI leading the way, according to the business information platform Crunchbase.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

As climate change alters the food chain in the Arctic, more and more gray whales are moving into San Francisco Bay in search of food, putting them in harm’s way.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

To stop the growing number of ships colliding with migrating whales, researchers are deploying a network of AI-powered cameras in the San Francisco Bay.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

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

I had learned that there are still a few salt ponds at the bottom of San Francisco Bay.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan