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 “concealed”:
B — hidden. “concealed” means adj. kept hidden or secret. Study “concealed” →
A single silly argument can sadly ______ two lifelong friends.
D — estrange. “estrange” means v. to cause someone to be no longer friendly or close. Study “estrange” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “quirk”:
A — peculiarity. “quirk” means n. a peculiar trait or mannerism. Study “quirk” →
The research project badly needed more ______ to continue its important work.
B — funding. “funding” means n. money provided for a specific purpose. Study “funding” →
Select the best synonym for the word “sparing”:
C — frugal. “sparing” means adj. using very little of something. Study “sparing” →
Her bold plan had real ______ and was chosen over all of the others.
D — merit. “merit” means n. a good quality or feature that deserves praise. Study “merit” →
Select the best synonym for the word “bit”:
D — fragment. “bit” means n. a small piece or amount. Study “bit” →
The bold new leader promised to ______ all corruption from the government.
C — purge. “purge” means v. to remove something unwanted. Study “purge” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “side”:
B — flank. “side” means n. the parts that are not the top, bottom, front, or back. Study “side” →
As a bold ______, the young chef invented many wild new recipes.
A — tradition-breaker. “tradition-breaker” means n. a person who does not follow traditional practices. Study “tradition-breaker” →
Select the best synonym for the word “superb”:
A — exceptional. “superb” means adj. excellent or very good. Study “superb” →
She quickly pressed a button to ______ the small mistake she had made.
D — undo. “undo” means v. to reverse or cancel something. Study “undo” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “differ”:
D — vary. “differ” means v. to be unlike or distinct in nature. Study “differ” →
One ______ little mistake caused the whole experiment to fail.
D — careless. “careless” means adj. not giving enough attention to what you are doing. Study “careless” →
Select the best synonym for the word “accidental”:
D — unintentional. “accidental” means adj. happening by chance, not planned. Study “accidental” →
His ______ decision to quit his good job surprised absolutely everyone.
B — impulsive. “impulsive” means adj. acting suddenly without thinking. Study “impulsive” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “criminal”:
C — offender. “criminal” means n. a person who has committed a crime. Study “criminal” →
Without ______ the warning sign, he drove right past the wrong turn.
C — noticing. “noticing” means v. becoming aware of something. Study “noticing” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “possible”:
A — feasible. “possible” means adj. able to be done or achieved. Study “possible” →
Bees ______ the location of flowers by doing a special little dance.
C — communicate. “communicate” means v. to share information. Study “communicate” →
Select the best synonym for the word “disappear”:
A — vanish. “disappear” means v. to cease to be visible. Study “disappear” →
The grand wedding was by far the biggest ______ of the whole summer.
D — event. “event” means n. something that happens, especially something important. Study “event” →
Select the best synonym for the word “blameworthy”:
D — culpable. “blameworthy” means adj. deserving blame or criticism. Study “blameworthy” →
A ______ loud noise made everyone in the quiet room jump at once.
A — sudden. “sudden” means adj. happening quickly and unexpectedly. Study “sudden” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “person”:
A — individual. “person” means n. a human being. Study “person” →
You must ______ the flour and the water together to make a smooth paste.
B — mix. “mix” means v. to combine two or more things together. Study “mix” →
Select the best synonym for the word “fire”:
A — flame. “fire” means n. the heat and light produced by burning. Study “fire” →
He held a ______ job and lived in a quiet, tidy little neighborhood.
B — respectable. “respectable” means adj. regarded by society as good or proper. Study “respectable” →
Select the best synonym for the word “shape”:
A — form. “shape” means n. the form or outline of an object. Study “shape” →
The buzzing fly began to ______ everyone sitting at the picnic table.
D — annoy. “annoy” means v. to make someone slightly angry. Study “annoy” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “related”:
A — connected. “related” means adj. connected by a relationship. Study “related” →
She had never ______ such a beautiful golden sunset in all her life.
A — seen. “seen” means v. past participle of ''see''; to have perceived with the eyes. Study “seen” →
Select the best synonym for the word “compete”:
D — contend. “compete” means v. to try to win against others. Study “compete” →
She watched all the exciting ______ of the show in a single weekend.
B — episodes. “episodes” means n. parts of a series or a sequence of events. Study “episodes” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “bold”:
C — daring. “bold” means adj. showing a willingness to take risks. Study “bold” →
The wild horses were free to ______ across the wide, open plains.
B — roam. “roam” means v. to move about or travel aimlessly or unsystematically. Study “roam” →
Select the best synonym for the word “unable”:
A — incapable. “unable” means adj. not having the ability to do something. Study “unable” →
The book was a ______ about a magical world of talking animals.
C — fantasy. “fantasy” means n. an imagined situation or story. Study “fantasy” →
Select the best synonym for the word “fan”:
B — enthusiast. “fan” means n. a device for creating a current of air or a person who is very enthusiastic about something. Study “fan” →
The children were so excited for the long, warm summer ______.
D — holiday. “holiday” means n. a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done. Study “holiday” →
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.