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 “daze”:
C — stun. “daze” means v. to stun or confuse. Study “daze” →
A single sharp nail began to ______ from the old, rotting wooden board.
A — protrude. “protrude” means v. to stick out. Study “protrude” →
Select the best synonym for the word “surrounding”:
C — neighboring. “surrounding” means adj. located around something. Study “surrounding” →
It was a very great ______ to meet the famous, kind old scientist.
D — honor. “honor” means n. high respect or esteem. Study “honor” →
Select the best synonym for the word “blocked”:
D — obstructed. “blocked” means adj. obstructed or stopped up. Study “blocked” →
The children felt warm and ______ inside their cozy little home.
D — safe. “safe” means adj. free from harm or danger. Study “safe” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “foe”:
B — adversary. “foe” means n. an enemy or opponent. Study “foe” →
The little bird flapped its badly broken ______ but simply could not fly.
B — wing. “wing” means n. a part of an animal''s body used for flying. Study “wing” →
Select the best synonym for the word “prevent”:
D — avert. “prevent” means v. to stop something from happening. Study “prevent” →
She blushed happily when he paid her a very kind ______.
A — compliment. “compliment” means n. a polite expression of praise or admiration. Study “compliment” →
Select the best synonym for the word “elevation”:
C — altitude. “elevation” means n. height above a given level. Study “elevation” →
She lives quite ______ to the school, just two short streets away.
A — near. “near” means adv. close to someone or something. Study “near” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “joining”:
D — union. “joining” means n. the act of becoming a member or part of something. Study “joining” →
His neatly ______ desk had every pen and paper in its proper place.
A — organized. “organized” means adj. arranged in a systematic way. Study “organized” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “boast”:
C — brag. “boast” means v. to talk with excessive pride. Study “boast” →
She felt absolutely ______ when she crossed the finish line in first place.
B — euphoric. “euphoric” means adj. feeling intense excitement and happiness. Study “euphoric” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “nitpick”:
A — criticize. “nitpick” means v. to find small or unimportant faults in something. Study “nitpick” →
After many long years in a cage, the wild bird was finally set ______.
D — free. “free” means adj. not under the control of someone else. Study “free” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “comfort”:
C — ease. “comfort” means n. a state of physical ease. Study “comfort” →
No one at all knew exactly what would ______ at the big surprise party.
D — happen. “happen” means v. to take place or occur. Study “happen” →
Select the best synonym for the word “extent”:
D — scope. “extent” means n. the size or scale of something. Study “extent” →
The old bread had gone hard and ______ after sitting out for several days.
D — stale. “stale” means adj. no longer fresh. Study “stale” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “stir”:
B — blend. “stir” means v. to mix a liquid or other substance by moving an object such as a spoon in a circular pattern. Study “stir” →
The two friends simply could not ______ on which movie to watch.
D — agree. “agree” means v. to have the same opinion. Study “agree” →
Select the best synonym for the word “episodes”:
C — installments. “episodes” means n. parts of a series or a sequence of events. Study “episodes” →
His ______ tone made it very clear he did not really mean the compliment.
D — sarcastic. “sarcastic” means adj. using irony to mock or convey contempt. Study “sarcastic” →
Select the best synonym for the word “absorb”:
B — soak up. “absorb” means v. to take in or soak up. Study “absorb” →
The ______ carefully searched the whole room for any hidden clues.
D — investigator. “investigator” means n. a person who carries out a formal inquiry or investigation. Study “investigator” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “path”:
A — trail. “path” means n. a track made by people or animals walking. Study “path” →
It was very hard to ______ on reading with the loud music playing.
D — concentrate. “concentrate” means v. to focus all one''s attention on a particular object or activity. Study “concentrate” →
Select the best synonym for the word “motionless”:
A — still. “motionless” means adj. not moving; still. Study “motionless” →
Please ______ the sleeping baby gently down in the soft crib.
B — lay. “lay” means v. to put something down. Study “lay” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “notable”:
A — noteworthy. “notable” means adj. worthy of attention or notice. Study “notable” →
Every driver must obey the ______ and always stop at red lights.
C — law. “law” means n. a system of rules. Study “law” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “regretfully”:
C — sorrowfully. “regretfully” means adv. in a way that shows you are sorry. Study “regretfully” →
He wore a warm woolen hat on his ______ in the bitter cold.
B — head. “head” means n. the upper part of the body containing the brain, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Study “head” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “society”:
D — community. “society” means n. a community of people living together. Study “society” →
After just a few days, she became ______ with all her new classmates.
B — acquainted. “acquainted” means adj. familiar with someone or something. Study “acquainted” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “stick”:
D — adhere. “stick” means v. to attach or hold something with an adhesive substance. Study “stick” →
With a few ______ strokes, the artist painted a perfectly lifelike bird.
B — skillful. “skillful” means adj. having or showing skill. Study “skillful” →
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.