serious competition

USAGE SUMMARY

"serious competition" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe a competitive situation that is intense, significant, or focused. Example: The athletes were preparing for the upcoming race, knowing that they would face serious competition from the top runners in the county.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

It faces serious competition.

The Guardian

Finally, some serious competition!

Independent

That's some serious competition.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"Excluding the maverick raises serious competition concerns".

The New York Times

Serious competition is on the horizon.

The Guardian

"But there is serious competition, too".

The New York Times

"We were up against serious competition.

The Guardian - Arts

People faced little serious competition until the early 21st century.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Unfortunately for the airline, the plan raised serious competition worries.

The Economist

Folk art and outsider art offer them serious competition.

The New York Times - Arts

There is a lot of serious competition out there.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "serious competition", consider specifying the area or field where the competition is taking place to provide more context. For example, "serious competition in the tech industry" is more informative than simply "serious competition".

Common error

Avoid using "serious competition" when the rivalry is minimal or insignificant. Overstating the intensity can undermine your credibility.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "serious competition" is to act as a noun phrase. It describes a state of rivalry or contest where the stakes or intensity are high. Ludwig AI confirms its common use across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "serious competition" is a commonly used and grammatically correct phrase used to describe an intense rivalry. Ludwig AI confirms its presence in diverse contexts, especially in news and media and formal business settings. When using this phrase, consider specifying the area where the competition is occurring. While alternatives like "intense rivalry" and "formidable opposition" exist, "serious competition" is a straightforward and effective way to communicate the significance of a contest. The phrase has a neutral to professional register and is widely understood.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

strong competition

A more direct synonym, replacing "serious" with "strong" without significantly changing the meaning.

intense rivalry

Replaces "competition" with "rivalry" and "serious" with "intense", emphasizing the antagonistic aspect.

keen rivalry

Similar to "intense rivalry" but uses "keen" which suggests enthusiasm and eagerness in the rivalry.

fierce contest

Substitutes "competition" with "contest" and "serious" with "fierce", highlighting the struggle for victory.

stiff challenge

Replaces "competition" with "challenge" and "serious" with "stiff", underscoring the difficulty in overcoming the opposition.

formidable opposition

Changes the structure to focus on the opponents as "formidable opposition", instead of the act of competing.

tough contenders

Shifts the focus to the participants, describing them as "tough contenders".

close race

Emphasizes the tightness of the competition, implying that the outcome is uncertain.

heated battle

Uses metaphorical language to convey the intensity and passion of the competition.

real threat

Conveys the idea of competition by focusing on the potential negative impact or danger posed by rivals.

FAQs

How can I use "serious competition" in a sentence?

You can use "serious competition" to describe a scenario where rivals are challenging each other intensely. For example: "The company faces "serious competition" from overseas markets".

What are some alternatives to "serious competition"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "intense rivalry", "fierce contest", or "formidable opposition" to convey a similar meaning.

Is "serious competition" formal or informal?

"Serious competition" is appropriate in both formal and informal contexts. Its suitability depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and tone of the writing.

What's the difference between "serious competition" and "strong competition"?

While very similar, "serious competition" often implies a higher degree of threat or consequence than "strong competition". "Serious" suggests that the competition could have significant implications.