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 “burst”:
A — explode. “burst” means v. to break open or apart suddenly. Study “burst” →
The ______ box weighed almost nothing when she easily picked it up.
A — empty. “empty” means adj. containing nothing. Study “empty” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “tie”:
D — bind. “tie” means v. to fasten things together with a string or rope. Study “tie” →
The ______ metal bar would not bend no matter how hard they pushed.
C — unyielding. “unyielding” means adj. not giving way to pressure. Study “unyielding” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “manly”:
A — virile. “manly” means adj. having qualities traditionally associated with men. Study “manly” →
There was a growing ______ between the two old friends' opinions.
B — divergence. “divergence” means n. the process or state of diverging. Study “divergence” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “strut”:
D — swagger. “strut” means v. to walk in a proud way. Study “strut” →
It was a ______ decision to quit his job without any savings at all.
A — rash. “rash” means adj. acting too quickly without thinking carefully. Study “rash” →
Select the best synonym for the word “revenge”:
A — vengeance. “revenge” means n. the act of doing something to hurt someone because they did something to hurt you. Study “revenge” →
The tired travelers could see green rolling hills far ______ the wide river.
C — beyond. “beyond” means prep. on the other side of something. Study “beyond” →
Select the best synonym for the word “misuse”:
A — abuse. “misuse” means v. to use something in the wrong way or for the wrong purpose. Study “misuse” →
The ______ pirate was feared and hated all along the rocky coast.
A — notorious. “notorious” means adj. famous for something bad. Study “notorious” →
Select the best synonym for the word “sturdy”:
A — robust. “sturdy” means adj. strong and not easily damaged. Study “sturdy” →
The worried mother had to ______ the child for running into the busy street.
D — scold. “scold” means v. to speak angrily to someone because they have done something wrong. Study “scold” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “rejoice”:
D — celebrate. “rejoice” means v. to feel or show great joy or delight. Study “rejoice” →
A thick, hard shell helps ______ the soft turtle from hungry animals.
B — protect. “protect” means v. to keep safe from harm. Study “protect” →
Select the best synonym for the word “foretell”:
D — prophesy. “foretell” means v. to predict the future. Study “foretell” →
The witness gave a clear ______ to the police about what she had seen.
B — statement. “statement” means n. something that is said or written formally. Study “statement” →
Select the best synonym for the word “nationality”:
A — citizenship. “nationality” means n. the status of belonging to a particular nation. Study “nationality” →
Because of his ______, he simply could not read the distant road sign.
D — shortsightedness. “shortsightedness” means n. the condition of being unable to see far; lack of foresight. Study “shortsightedness” →
Select the best synonym for the word “slip”:
C — skid. “slip” means v. to slide accidentally and lose balance. Study “slip” →
On the color wheel, black is the exact ______ of pure white.
A — opposite. “opposite” means adj. completely different; n. a person or thing that is completely different. Study “opposite” →
Select the best synonym for the word “sinister”:
C — menacing. “sinister” means adj. giving the impression that something harmful will happen. Study “sinister” →
Despite her great fame, the ______ singer never once bragged about her talent.
C — modest. “modest” means adj. not too proud or confident about oneself. Study “modest” →
Select the best synonym for the word “compare”:
B — juxtapose. “compare” means v. to examine similarities and differences. Study “compare” →
A rooster is the ______ bird, while a hen is the female one.
C — male. “male” means adj. relating to the sex that does not give birth. Study “male” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “landslide”:
D — avalanche. “landslide” means n. the sliding down of a mass of earth or rock from a mountain or cliff. Study “landslide” →
The tiny brown seeds will soon ______ if the soil is warm and moist.
A — sprout. “sprout” means v. to begin to grow. Study “sprout” →
Select the best synonym for the word “unstated”:
A — implied. “unstated” means adj. not expressed or declared openly. Study “unstated” →
She hurried down to the post office to ______ the package to her friend.
A — send. “send” means v. to cause something to go or be taken to a particular destination. Study “send” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “penalty”:
A — punishment. “penalty” means n. a punishment for breaking a rule or law. Study “penalty” →
They decided to ______ the very last piece of cake between the two of them.
C — split. “split” means v. to divide or break into parts. Study “split” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “noble”:
A — honorable. “noble” means adj. having or showing fine personal qualities or high moral principles. Study “noble” →
She tied a strong ______ in the rope to keep the little boat secure.
D — knot. “knot” means n. a fastening made by tying a piece of string or rope. Study “knot” →
Select the best synonym for the word “crossbreed”:
A — hybridize. “crossbreed” means v. to produce an animal or plant by mating or hybridizing two different species or varieties. Study “crossbreed” →
The team played so ______ that they lost the game by twenty points.
B — badly. “badly” means adv. in a poor or unsatisfactory way. Study “badly” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “energy”:
C — vigor. “energy” means n. the strength and vitality required for physical or mental activity. Study “energy” →
He proudly showed us his large ______ of rare old silver coins.
C — collection. “collection” means n. a group of things gathered together. Study “collection” →
Select the best synonym for the word “distressed”:
C — anguished. “distressed” means adj. suffering from anxiety, sorrow, or pain. Study “distressed” →
The ______ wool blanket kept them very warm on the freezing winter night.
B — thick. “thick” means adj. having a large distance between sides. Study “thick” →
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.