Ranking for close keyword synonyms

Would ranking for keywords that are close synonoms create problems if one is significantly more competitive?

For instance, if "vehicle bodywork canada" was very competitive with many exact searches and "automobile bodywork canada" was significantly easier to rank for... Would I have difficulty ranking "automobile bodywork canada" due to the strong players in "vehicle bodywork canada"?

Thanks guys, sorry if the above was a little convoluted.

Anyone have any opinions on the above? Searches on the topic have remained unfruitful.