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 “between”:
B — amid. “between” means prep. in the space separating two things. Study “between” →
The colorful poster had a ______ design that drew everyone's eye.
A — catching. “catching” means adj. attractive or interesting. Study “catching” →
Select the best synonym for the word “loud”:
D — noisy. “loud” means adj. making a lot of noise. Study “loud” →
He was ______ for school because the old bus had broken down.
C — late. “late” means adj. doing something or taking place after the expected, proper, or usual time. Study “late” →
Select the best synonym for the word “temperament”:
A — disposition. “temperament” means n. a person''s nature or disposition. Study “temperament” →
The small child was ______ of the loud thunder rumbling outside.
D — afraid. “afraid” means adj. feeling fear or anxiety. Study “afraid” →
Select the best synonym for the word “damaging”:
D — harmful. “damaging” means adj. causing harm or injury. Study “damaging” →
She began to ______ what could be hidden inside the mysterious old box.
C — wonder. “wonder” means v. to think about something with curiosity or doubt. Study “wonder” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “tire”:
D — exhaust. “tire” means v. to become weary or exhausted. Study “tire” →
The ______ mystery novel kept her reading late into the quiet night.
B — engrossing. “engrossing” means adj. absorbing all one''s attention or interest. Study “engrossing” →
Select the best synonym for the word “seriousness”:
C — gravity. “seriousness” means n. the quality of being serious. Study “seriousness” →
Planting many more trees can help ______ the harmful effects of pollution.
A — mitigate. “mitigate” means v. to make less severe or serious. Study “mitigate” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “medicine”:
A — remedy. “medicine” means n. a substance used to treat illness. Study “medicine” →
The thief used a false beard to ______ himself from the searching police.
A — disguise. “disguise” means v. to change the appearance to hide identity. Study “disguise” →
Select the best synonym for the word “speed”:
A — velocity. “speed” means n. how fast something moves. Study “speed” →
She found a good ______ working at the busy brand-new bookstore.
A — job. “job” means n. work that a person does regularly to earn money. Study “job” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “famous”:
C — renowned. “famous” means adj. known about by many people. Study “famous” →
The loud construction noise outside began to ______ the quiet class.
A — disrupt. “disrupt” means v. to interrupt or cause disorder. Study “disrupt” →
Select the best synonym for the word “lessen”:
B — diminish. “lessen” means v. to make or become less. Study “lessen” →
The ______ cold wind cut straight through their thin summer jackets.
B — penetrating. “penetrating” means adj. able to make a way through or into something. Study “penetrating” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “important”:
C — significant. “important” means adj. having great significance or value. Study “important” →
Can you ______ this difficult word using your own simple everyday words?
A — define. “define” means v. to explain the meaning of a word or concept. Study “define” →
Select the best synonym for the word “mass”:
A — bulk. “mass” means n. a large amount or number of something. Study “mass” →
His old car was so ______ that it broke down almost every single week.
B — unreliable. “unreliable” means adj. not able to be trusted or depended on. Study “unreliable” →
Select the best synonym for the word “title”:
C — heading. “title” means n. the name of a book, movie, or other work. Study “title” →
The ancient golden crown was a ______ treasure from very long ago.
B — priceless. “priceless” means adj. so valuable that it cannot be priced. Study “priceless” →
Select the best synonym for the word “emotional”:
D — sentimental. “emotional” means adj. related to feelings. Study “emotional” →
She chose her closest friend to be her ______ for the big science project.
C — partner. “partner” means n. a person who takes part in an activity with another. Study “partner” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “fascinating”:
C — captivating. “fascinating” means adj. extremely interesting. Study “fascinating” →
The wildfire began to ______ very quickly through the dry, dead grass.
D — spread. “spread” means v. to extend over a large area. Study “spread” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “inappropriate”:
A — unsuitable. “inappropriate” means adj. not suitable or proper in the situation. Study “inappropriate” →
Waiting for the results felt like a whole ______, though it was only minutes.
C — eternity. “eternity” means n. time without end. Study “eternity” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “send”:
D — dispatch. “send” means v. to cause something to go or be taken to a particular destination. Study “send” →
In ______ class, we learned all about the ancient Roman empire.
B — history. “history” means n. the study of past events. Study “history” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “evident”:
C — obvious. “evident” means adj. clear to see or understand. Study “evident” →
The stern judge decided to ______ the dangerous thief for ten long years.
B — imprison. “imprison” means v. to put someone in prison. Study “imprison” →
Select the best synonym for the word “body”:
B — physique. “body” means n. the physical structure of a person or an animal. Study “body” →
The careful cook ______ chopped the fresh herbs into tiny green flakes.
A — finely. “finely” means adv. in a very delicate or exact way. Study “finely” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “through”:
B — via. “through” means prep. from one end or side to the other. Study “through” →
Water is a ______ that takes the shape of whatever container holds it.
C — liquid. “liquid” means n. a substance that flows freely but is of constant volume. Study “liquid” →
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.