face steep competition

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'face steep competition' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a situation where someone has to compete with others in order to achieve success. For example, "The new business faced steep competition in the market, so the owners had to find creative ways to promote their products."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

But Art Stage Singapore will face steep competition.

The New York Times - Arts

But even without pressures and stipulations from the state, foreign companies in China face steep competition from home-grown rivals.

The New Yorker

Even popular brand extensions, like Tylenol's eight-hour Geltabs, face steep competition from rival products like Advil Liqui-Gels and Bayer's Alleve.

The New York Times

They will face steep competition in a marketplace already saturated with established (and not-so-established) comics characters that major media companies have spent years snapping up for their own development purposes.

The New York Times

[Associated Press] Farmers bidding for unallocated water from the Colorado River basin for use this summer face steep competition from companies that provide water for hydraulic fracturing at well sites in the region.

The New York Times

Like any startup — especially in healthcare — Cardiologs will face steep competition from all fronts.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Bank of America also plans to sell its prime brokerage unit, which faced steep competition and huge investment requirements.

The New York Times

The decades-old drug faced steep competition from generic drug makers, which now have more than 80percentt of the market.

The New York Times

Here in Bolivia, government officials are trying to increase domestic quinoa consumption, even as the product faces steep competition from other foods.

The New York Times

Its credit card business faced steep competition, and its sparse retail banking network provided little in the way of cheap deposits.

The New York Times

Although Betaworks' timing is precipitous, the company faces steep competition from companies like Twitter, Flipboard and other readers like Feedly, which have been gaining an audience, as well as Facebook, which is said to be working on a mobile news reading product of its own.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To emphasize the intensity of rivalry within an industry, phrase your sentences with "face steep competition" when discussing market dynamics.

Common error

Avoid using "face steep competition" when the competitive landscape is actually moderate or typical for the industry. This phrase is best reserved for scenarios where the rivalry is particularly intense or challenging.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "face steep competition" functions as a verbal phrase, indicating an action or state of being. It describes the act of encountering significant challenges in a competitive environment. As noted by Ludwig AI, it accurately portrays situations where individuals or entities must contend with substantial rivalry to achieve success.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

0%

Less common in

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "face steep competition" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe encountering significant rivalry. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English. It is most frequently found in news and business contexts. While several alternative phrases exist, such as "encounter fierce rivalry" or "confront intense rivalry", each carries slightly different nuances. This expression is suited for highlighting the challenges of a competitive landscape but should be used judiciously to avoid overstating the degree of competition.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

encounter fierce rivalry

Focuses on the intensity of the competitive relationship.

confront intense rivalry

Emphasizes the act of directly addressing the competitive situation.

meet significant challenges

Highlights the difficulties presented by the competitive landscape.

experience considerable opposition

Focuses on the resistance faced from competitors.

contend with strong contenders

Highlights dealing with capable competitors.

grapple with tough adversaries

Emphasizes struggling against difficult opponents.

compete in a saturated market

Focuses on the market environment being crowded with competitors.

navigate a challenging environment

Highlights the need to maneuver carefully through a difficult competitive landscape.

battle against established players

Focuses on competing against companies that are already well-known and successful.

vie for market share

Emphasizes the struggle to gain a portion of the market.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "face steep competition" to sound more formal?

In more formal contexts, consider using phrases such as "encounter significant challenges" or "confront intense rivalry", which convey the same meaning with a more sophisticated tone.

What's the difference between "face steep competition" and "face intense competition"?

While both phrases are similar, "face steep competition" emphasizes the difficulty and uphill battle involved, while "face intense competition" highlights the high level of competitive activity.

Is it appropriate to use "face steep competition" when discussing a non-profit organization?

Yes, it is appropriate. Even non-profit organizations "face steep competition" for funding, resources, and public attention.

Are there any specific industries where the phrase "face steep competition" is commonly used?

The phrase "face steep competition" is frequently used in discussions about technology, retail, and finance, where market dynamics are often characterized by high levels of rivalry and innovation.