Meaning & use

fierce competitor

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌfɪəs kəmˈpetɪtə/
US/ˌfɪrs kəmˈpetɪtər/

Meaning

  1. nouncountable

    A person or company that competes with great energy, determination, and aggression.

    Grammar: Countable: a fierce competitor, two fierce competitors.

    Patterns

    • a fierce competitor in something
    • be a fierce competitor

    She is a fierce competitor who never gives up.

    The company is a fierce competitor in the smartphone market.

    As a fierce competitor, he hates losing more than he enjoys winning.

Word forms

pluralfierce competitors

Common combinations

a fierce competitor in the market
They are a fierce competitor in the global market.
be a fierce competitor
He is a fierce competitor on the tennis court.
a fierce competitor for something
She is a fierce competitor for the top prize.

Synonyms and how they differ

tough competitor
Similar, but 'tough' emphasizes resilience and strength rather than aggressive energy.
aggressive player
More specific to sports; 'aggressive' can sound negative, while 'fierce' often suggests admirable determination.

Opposites

weak competitoreasy opponent

Word family

fiercely adverb
In a fierce manner: fiercely competitive.
fierceness noun
The quality of being fierce.
compete verb
To take part in a contest or try to win.
competition noun
The activity of competing, or an event where people compete.

Commonly confused: fierce competitor or fierce competition?

fierce competitor vs fierce competition

This refers to the situation of intense rivalry, not to a person or company. 'Fierce competitor' is a person or company; 'fierce competition' is the contest itself.

Practice

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