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 “investigator”:
C — detective. “investigator” means n. a person who carries out a formal inquiry or investigation. Study “investigator” →
Without any salt or spices at all, the soup was watery and ______.
A — tasteless. “tasteless” means adj. lacking flavor or style. Study “tasteless” →
Select the best synonym for the word “collect”:
B — gather. “collect” means v. to gather together. Study “collect” →
His wildly ______ story made the tiny fish sound as big as a whale.
C — exaggerated. “exaggerated” means adj. made to seem larger or more important than it really is. Study “exaggerated” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “cue”:
C — signal. “cue” means n. a signal for someone to do something. Study “cue” →
The narrow road turned ______ to the left just past the old stone bridge.
C — sharply. “sharply” means adv. in a sudden or abrupt manner. Study “sharply” →
Select the best synonym for the word “traveling”:
C — itinerant. “traveling” means adj. going from one place to another. Study “traveling” →
It is very unkind to ______ someone for making an honest mistake.
B — mock. “mock” means v. to make fun of someone or something. Study “mock” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “pressing”:
C — urgent. “pressing” means adj. requiring immediate attention. Study “pressing” →
She hurried down to the ______ to buy some milk and a loaf of bread.
B — store. “store” means n. a place where goods are sold. Study “store” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “trap”:
B — snare. “trap” means n. a device or hole for catching animals; v. to catch someone or something. Study “trap” →
The talented child seemed to have a rare, ______ gift for making music.
A — inborn. “inborn” means adj. existing from birth. Study “inborn” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “disturb”:
C — interrupt. “disturb” means v. to interrupt the quiet, peace, or order of something. Study “disturb” →
The magician's clever tricks were sure to ______ the whole young audience.
B — captivate. “captivate” means v. to attract and hold the interest of. Study “captivate” →
Select the best synonym for the word “mistake”:
A — error. “mistake” means n. an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong. Study “mistake” →
When the music starts, that is your ______ to walk out onto the stage.
C — cue. “cue” means n. a signal for someone to do something. Study “cue” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “moment”:
A — instant. “moment” means n. a very brief period of time. Study “moment” →
She tested the ______ of the blade by slicing a thin piece of paper.
D — sharpness. “sharpness” means n. the quality of being sharp. Study “sharpness” →
Select the best synonym for the word “common”:
D — usual. “common” means adj. found often; usual. Study “common” →
The ______ son visited his elderly parents every single weekend.
A — dutiful. “dutiful” means adj. doing what you are supposed to do. Study “dutiful” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “skim”:
B — scan. “skim” means v. to read quickly to get the main ideas. Study “skim” →
A single bee sting can make your whole hand ______ up and turn bright red.
A — swell. “swell” means v. to become larger or rounder in size. Study “swell” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “apathetic”:
A — indifferent. “apathetic” means adj. showing or feeling no interest. Study “apathetic” →
The human brain is an amazingly ______ organ with billions of cells.
C — complex. “complex” means adj. made of many different parts. Study “complex” →
Select the best synonym for the word “shabby”:
C — worn. “shabby” means adj. in poor condition through long use or lack of care. Study “shabby” →
After many long hours of waiting, the bus ______ arrived at the stop.
B — finally. “finally” means adv. after a long time. Study “finally” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “daunting”:
B — intimidating. “daunting” means adj. seeming difficult to deal with in anticipation. Study “daunting” →
Unable to attend herself, she sent a trusted ______ to vote in her place.
B — proxy. “proxy” means n. a person authorized to act on behalf of another. Study “proxy” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “faith”:
C — trust. “faith” means n. strong belief or trust in someone or something. Study “faith” →
In a healthy ______, people help and deeply respect one another.
A — society. “society” means n. a community of people living together. Study “society” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “thinly”:
B — sparsely. “thinly” means adv. in a thin manner. Study “thinly” →
If you leave the ripe fruit out too long, it will soon begin to ______.
A — rot. “rot” means v. to decay or decompose. Study “rot” →
Select the best synonym for the word “disapproval”:
A — disfavor. “disapproval” means n. a feeling of not approving. Study “disapproval” →
The judges will ______ the final winner after carefully counting all the votes.
D — determine. “determine” means v. to decide or conclude. Study “determine” →
Select the best synonym for the word “root”:
A — base. “root” means n. the part of a plant that grows underground. Study “root” →
They began to ______ the whole house top to bottom for the missing kitten.
A — search. “search” means v. to look carefully for something; n. an attempt to find something. Study “search” →
Select the best synonym for the word “draining”:
B — exhausting. “draining” means adj. causing someone to feel very tired. Study “draining” →
It was cruel of him to ______ the shy new student in front of everyone.
C — insult. “insult” means v. to say or do something that is rude or offensive to someone. Study “insult” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “intentional”:
C — deliberate. “intentional” means adj. done on purpose; deliberate. Study “intentional” →
There was only a ______ difference between the two pale shades of blue.
B — slight. “slight” means adj. small in degree; not serious. Study “slight” →
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.