40 Verbal Reasoning questions — 20 synonym, 20 sentence completion — in the ISEE's own four-option format. Every answer is explained, and every question links to its word's full study page.
Choose the best synonym for the word “miracle”:
A — wonder. “miracle” means n. an extraordinary event that cannot be explained by natural or scientific laws. Study “miracle” →
She measured the ______ of the box before wrapping it in bright paper.
C — size. “size” means n. how large or small something is. Study “size” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “blockade”:
C — siege. “blockade” means n. an act of sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving. Study “blockade” →
Good, loyal friends can have a strong ______ on the choices you make.
D — influence. “influence” means n. the power to have an effect on people or things. Study “influence” →
Select the best synonym for the word “pattern”:
A — design. “pattern” means n. a repeated decorative design. Study “pattern” →
She carefully ______ the hot cup of tea down on the wooden table.
B — set. “set” means v. to put something in a particular place or position. Study “set” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “lacking”:
A — deficient. “lacking” means adj. not having enough of something. Study “lacking” →
The kind woman was happy to ______ her seat to the tired old man.
C — offer. “offer” means v. to present something for someone to accept or reject. Study “offer” →
Select the best synonym for the word “accused”:
D — defendant. “accused” means n. a person or group of people who are charged with or on trial for a crime. Study “accused” →
She began to ______ the cruel way the man treated his poor old dog.
C — hate. “hate” means v. to have a strong dislike for someone or something. Study “hate” →
Select the best synonym for the word “decided”:
A — definite. “decided” means adj. clear and definite. Study “decided” →
The ______ children could hardly wait for dinner to finally be served.
A — hungry. “hungry” means adj. feeling the need to eat. Study “hungry” →
Select the best synonym for the word “coming”:
B — upcoming. “coming” means adj. happening soon. Study “coming” →
They held the huge wedding in a ______ hall with tall marble columns.
A — grand. “grand” means adj. impressive and large or important. Study “grand” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “agility”:
C — nimbleness. “agility” means n. the ability to move quickly and easily. Study “agility” →
Solving hard puzzles is a good form of ______ exercise for the brain.
C — mental. “mental” means adj. relating to the mind. Study “mental” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “warm”:
B — mild. “warm” means adj. having a moderate degree of heat. Study “warm” →
He ______ his good friend ten dollars and paid it back the very next day.
C — owed. “owed” means v. to have a debt to pay. Study “owed” →
Select the best synonym for the word “replacement”:
C — substitute. “replacement” means n. a person or thing that takes the place of another. Study “replacement” →
The ______ mother waited anxiously by the phone for news of her son.
D — worried. “worried” means adj. anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems. Study “worried” →
Select the best synonym for the word “automatic”:
B — mechanical. “automatic” means adj. working by itself with little or no direct human control. Study “automatic” →
She was very ______ to see her old friends again after so many years.
D — happy. “happy” means adj. feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. Study “happy” →
Select the best synonym for the word “direction”:
C — course. “direction” means n. the course or path on which something is moving or pointing. Study “direction” →
The nervous student gave a short ______ in front of the whole class.
D — speech. “speech” means n. a formal talk given to an audience. Study “speech” →
Select the best synonym for the word “unusual”:
C — uncommon. “unusual” means adj. not common or ordinary. Study “unusual” →
Only fully ______ pilots are allowed to fly this very large airplane.
D — qualified. “qualified” means adj. having the necessary skills or knowledge. Study “qualified” →
Select the best synonym for the word “fearless”:
B — brave. “fearless” means adj. showing a lack of fear. Study “fearless” →
It took the whole team a full hour to ______ the difficult puzzle.
B — solve. “solve” means v. to find an answer to a problem. Study “solve” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “liability”:
D — obligation. “liability” means n. a legal responsibility or obligation. Study “liability” →
The ______ blue diamond was one of only three in the whole world.
C — rare. “rare” means adj. not common; not often found. Study “rare” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “unskilled”:
B — inexperienced. “unskilled” means adj. not having or requiring special skill or training. Study “unskilled” →
The kind older woman had a warm, ______ way with all the young children.
A — motherlike. “motherlike” means adj. resembling or characteristic of a mother. Study “motherlike” →
Select the best synonym for the word “brainwash”:
B — indoctrinate. “brainwash” means v. to make someone believe something by repeatedly telling them it is true. Study “brainwash” →
The ______ island had no people, no trees, and no fresh water at all.
D — desolate. “desolate” means adj. empty and lonely. Study “desolate” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “aesthetics”:
A — taste. “aesthetics” means n. the study of beauty and taste. Study “aesthetics” →
The new ______ office handles all of the taxes for the whole city.
B — governmental. “governmental” means adj. relating to the government. Study “governmental” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “blocking”:
A — obstructing. “blocking” means n. the act of stopping something from moving or flowing. Study “blocking” →
The doctor said that his very high temperature was ______ and needed checking.
C — abnormal. “abnormal” means adj. not usual or typical. Study “abnormal” →
Select the best synonym for the word “range”:
D — scope. “range” means n. the extent or scope of something. Study “range” →
During the sudden storm, the hikers found ______ inside a small dry cave.
B — shelter. “shelter” means n. a place giving protection from bad weather or danger. Study “shelter” →
No. These are original synonym and sentence-completion questions written from the iSEE Vocab word bank, in the ISEE's own four-option Verbal Reasoning format. No retired or copyrighted ISEE/SSAT questions appear anywhere on this site.
40 — 20 synonym questions and 20 sentence-completion questions, the same roughly-even split the real ISEE Verbal Reasoning section uses.
No. Every Basic Level practice test on this site draws from a disjoint slice of the word bank, so Test 1, Test 2 and every other numbered test at this level use entirely different questions.
Yes. The ISEE gives no penalty for a wrong answer — a blank scores the same as a wrong guess, which is zero — so answer every question even when you have to guess.