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 “accomplishment”:
A — achievement. “accomplishment” means n. something that has been achieved successfully. Study “accomplishment” →
She made a very big ______ over one tiny scratch on her shiny new car.
B — fuss. “fuss” means n. unnecessary excitement or activity. Study “fuss” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “scornful”:
D — contemptuous. “scornful” means adj. feeling or expressing contempt or derision. Study “scornful” →
The ______ old witch in the story cast a cruel spell on the whole village.
C — wicked. “wicked” means adj. evil or morally wrong. Study “wicked” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “wrench”:
D — yank. “wrench” means v. to pull or twist something suddenly and violently. Study “wrench” →
Always ______ your answers carefully before handing in the difficult test.
B — check. “check” means v. to examine something to make sure it is correct or satisfactory. Study “check” →
Select the best synonym for the word “pull”:
B — drag. “pull” means v. to exert force on something to move it towards oneself. Study “pull” →
The gentle nurse cared for the sick child with warm, ______ love.
B — motherly. “motherly” means adj. having the qualities of a good mother. Study “motherly” →
Select the best synonym for the word “stingy”:
A — miserly. “stingy” means adj. unwilling to give or spend; ungenerous. Study “stingy” →
His sudden, ______ anger surprised and badly frightened everyone present.
D — unjustified. “unjustified” means adj. not shown to be right or reasonable. Study “unjustified” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “artistic”:
C — creative. “artistic” means adj. having or revealing natural creative skill. Study “artistic” →
She wisely wasted no time at all on such small, ______ little details.
C — unimportant. “unimportant” means adj. not having much significance or value. Study “unimportant” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “record”:
D — document. “record” means v. to write down or store information. Study “record” →
The children were quiet and ______ during the long, solemn ceremony.
D — respectful. “respectful” means adj. showing politeness or honor. Study “respectful” →
Select the best synonym for the word “skillful”:
A — adept. “skillful” means adj. having or showing skill. Study “skillful” →
A truly ______ friend will never betray the secrets that you share.
B — trustworthy. “trustworthy” means adj. able to be relied on as honest or truthful. Study “trustworthy” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “contagion”:
B — infection. “contagion” means n. the spread of disease by contact. Study “contagion” →
The clever clown was hired to ______ the children at the birthday party.
D — entertain. “entertain” means v. to amuse or interest people in a way that gives them pleasure. Study “entertain” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “implied”:
D — implicit. “implied” means adj. suggested but not directly expressed. Study “implied” →
A truly ______ person always tells the truth, even when it is very hard.
B — honest. “honest” means adj. truthful and sincere. Study “honest” →
Select the best synonym for the word “best”:
D — finest. “best” means adj. of the highest quality. Study “best” →
The ______ acid quickly ate a hole right through the thin metal sheet.
C — corrosive. “corrosive” means adj. tending to cause corrosion. Study “corrosive” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “living”:
C — alive. “living” means adj. having life; not dead. Study “living” →
The steady, ______ hum of the engine lasted the whole long flight.
D — unchanging. “unchanging” means adj. staying the same. Study “unchanging” →
Select the best synonym for the word “identity”:
A — individuality. “identity” means n. who someone is; the qualities of a person or group. Study “identity” →
He began to ______ his answer so softly that no one could hear a word.
B — mumble. “mumble” means v. to speak quietly and not clearly. Study “mumble” →
Select the best synonym for the word “try”:
A — attempt. “try” means v. to make an attempt or effort to do something. Study “try” →
The soup was ______ salty, so almost no one could finish a bowl.
C — excessively. “excessively” means adv. to a degree that is more than necessary. Study “excessively” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “stoop”:
D — bend. “stoop” means v. to bend the body forward and downward. Study “stoop” →
The wise farmer chose to ______ his crops instead of growing only wheat.
C — diversify. “diversify” means v. to make or become more varied. Study “diversify” →
Select the best synonym for the word “shocking”:
A — appalling. “shocking” means adj. causing intense surprise or disgust. Study “shocking” →
The ______ child painted a colorful mural across her bedroom wall.
C — artistic. “artistic” means adj. having or revealing natural creative skill. Study “artistic” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “dissolving”:
C — melting. “dissolving” means v. becoming incorporated into a liquid. Study “dissolving” →
The long uphill hike was so ______ that everyone soon needed a rest.
A — tiring. “tiring” means adj. causing you to feel tired. Study “tiring” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “unproven”:
D — unverified. “unproven” means adj. not tested or confirmed. Study “unproven” →
There was just ______ food on the table to feed everyone present.
C — enough. “enough” means adj./adv. as much as needed. Study “enough” →
Select the best synonym for the word “academic”:
D — scholarly. “academic” means adj. related to education or scholarly activities. Study “academic” →
The ______ new neighbor cheerfully invited everyone over for tea.
C — sociable. “sociable” means adj. friendly and willing to talk to others. Study “sociable” →
Select the best synonym for the word “relating”:
C — connecting. “relating” means v. making a connection between things. Study “relating” →
The students hurried down the long ______ to reach their next class.
A — corridor. “corridor” means n. a long passage in a building from which doors lead into rooms. Study “corridor” →
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.