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.
Select the best synonym for the word “economic”:
A — financial. “economic” means adj. related to the economy or money. Study “economic” →
She felt deep ______ for the family who lost their home in the fire.
D — sympathy. “sympathy” means n. feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else''s misfortune. Study “sympathy” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “dishonesty”:
C — deceit. “dishonesty” means n. lack of honesty or integrity. Study “dishonesty” →
You need special ______ to enter the locked research laboratory.
A — authorization. “authorization” means n. official permission or approval. Study “authorization” →
Select the best synonym for the word “tangle”:
C — entangle. “tangle” means v. to twist together in a confused mass. Study “tangle” →
The little ______ calculator never needed any batteries at all.
A — sun-powered. “sun-powered” means adj. using energy from the sun. Study “sun-powered” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “unrelated”:
B — irrelevant. “unrelated” means adj. not connected or related. Study “unrelated” →
The new ______ against smoking helped keep the city air much cleaner.
C — prohibition. “prohibition” means n. the act of officially not allowing something. Study “prohibition” →
Select the best synonym for the word “respectable”:
D — reputable. “respectable” means adj. regarded by society as good or proper. Study “respectable” →
For many years, the river was the village's main ______ of fresh water.
A — provider. “provider” means n. a person or thing that supplies something. Study “provider” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “overly”:
A — excessively. “overly” means adv. too much. Study “overly” →
He knocked ______ on the heavy door, but no one ever answered.
A — repeatedly. “repeatedly” means adv. again and again. Study “repeatedly” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “courts”:
C — tribunals. “courts” means n. plural of court; places where legal cases are heard. Study “courts” →
She studied very hard all week for the big math ______ on Friday.
C — test. “test” means n. an examination or trial. Study “test” →
Select the best synonym for the word “secretly”:
A — covertly. “secretly” means adv. in a way that is hidden from others. Study “secretly” →
She gave some very ______ advice on how to save money each month.
C — practical. “practical” means adj. concerned with actual use or practice. Study “practical” →
Select the best synonym for the word “article”:
B — essay. “article” means n. a piece of writing included with others in a newspaper, magazine, or other publication. Study “article” →
The busy little bakery was ______, with long lines every single morning.
C — thriving. “thriving” means adj. growing or developing successfully. Study “thriving” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “care”:
A — protection. “care” means n. the process of protecting someone or something. Study “care” →
Playing the violin well takes years of practice and great ______.
D — skill. “skill” means n. the ability to do something well. Study “skill” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “jovial”:
C — jolly. “jovial” means adj. cheerful and friendly. Study “jovial” →
She ______ said goodbye to all her friends before the long journey.
B — sorrowfully. “sorrowfully” means adv. in a way that shows sadness. Study “sorrowfully” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “sum”:
B — total. “sum” means n. the total amount resulting from the addition of two or more numbers. Study “sum” →
Rescuers searched the twisted ______ of the crashed plane for any survivors.
C — wreckage. “wreckage” means n. the remains of something that has been badly damaged or destroyed. Study “wreckage” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “impairment”:
A — disability. “impairment” means n. a condition in which a part of your body or mind is damaged and does not work well. Study “impairment” →
The ______ boy sat all alone in the corner and refused to speak to anyone.
B — sullen. “sullen” means adj. bad-tempered and gloomy. Study “sullen” →
Select the best synonym for the word “blurred”:
D — hazy. “blurred” means adj. not clear or distinct. Study “blurred” →
The loud ______ from the busy street kept her awake all night long.
B — noise. “noise” means n. a loud or unpleasant sound. Study “noise” →
Select the best synonym for the word “regal”:
B — majestic. “regal” means adj. royal, suitable for a king or queen. Study “regal” →
The doctor warned that ______ too quickly can give you a painful stomachache.
B — eating. “eating” means n. the act of consuming food. Study “eating” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “tightness”:
B — tension. “tightness” means n. the state of being stretched or drawn tight. Study “tightness” →
A deep love of sweets was her one and only great ______.
A — weakness. “weakness” means n. lack of strength or power. Study “weakness” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “effort”:
C — exertion. “effort” means n. a vigorous or determined attempt. Study “effort” →
The whole team ______ finished the difficult project ahead of schedule.
C — successfully. “successfully” means adv. in a way that achieves a goal or purpose. Study “successfully” →
Select the best synonym for the word “moving”:
A — touching. “moving” means adj. causing strong feelings of sadness or sympathy. Study “moving” →
Do not ______ your back by trying to lift that very heavy wooden box.
B — strain. “strain” means v. to exert to the utmost. Study “strain” →
Select the best synonym for the word “worsen”:
C — deteriorate. “worsen” means v. to become or make something worse. Study “worsen” →
The hero cleverly escapes in the ______ chapter, just before the very end.
A — next-to-last. “next-to-last” means adj. second to the last. Study “next-to-last” →
Select the best synonym for the word “integrated”:
D — unified. “integrated” means adj. combined to form a complete or unified whole. Study “integrated” →
Far from his home, the sailor felt a deep ______ to see his family.
A — longing. “longing” means n. a strong desire for something. Study “longing” →
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.