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 “melt”:
A — liquefy. “melt” means v. to change from solid to liquid due to heat. Study “melt” →
The ______ apple was full of brown spots and smelled absolutely terrible.
C — rotten. “rotten” means adj. decayed or spoiled. Study “rotten” →
Select the best synonym for the word “against”:
B — opposing. “against” means prep. in opposition to. Study “against” →
The very bad news came as a great ______ to the whole quiet family.
A — shock. “shock” means n. a sudden and strong feeling of surprise. Study “shock” →
Select the best synonym for the word “option”:
A — choice. “option” means n. a choice or possibility. Study “option” →
It is very rude to ______ loudly in front of small children.
C — curse. “curse” means v. to use rude or offensive words. Study “curse” →
Select the best synonym for the word “increase”:
D — growth. “increase” means n. a rise in amount, number, or degree. Study “increase” →
The ______ desert tribe moved from place to place, following the rain.
A — nomadic. “nomadic” means adj. moving from place to place without a permanent home. Study “nomadic” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “softening”:
B — mellowing. “softening” means n. the process of becoming softer. Study “softening” →
The careful shopkeeper kept a clear ______ of all the money he earned.
B — account. “account” means n. a record or statement of financial expenditure and receipts. Study “account” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “unbiased”:
D — impartial. “unbiased” means adj. fair and not influenced by personal feelings. Study “unbiased” →
The frightened rabbit ran ______ back into its warm, safe burrow.
D — quickly. “quickly” means adv. at a fast speed. Study “quickly” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “uncomfortable”:
D — uneasy. “uncomfortable” means adj. causing discomfort or unease. Study “uncomfortable” →
The little gray donkey was heavily ______ with big bags of grain.
D — laden. “laden” means adj. heavily loaded or weighed down. Study “laden” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “unharmed”:
B — safe. “unharmed” means adj. not hurt or damaged. Study “unharmed” →
The coach firmly told him to do ten more ______ of the tiring exercise.
D — reps. “reps” means n. short for representatives or repetitions. Study “reps” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “drift”:
D — float. “drift” means v. to be carried slowly by a current of air or water. Study “drift” →
The basic laws of nature are fixed, permanent, and ______.
C — unchangeable. “unchangeable” means adj. not able to be changed. Study “unchangeable” →
Select the best synonym for the word “risk”:
B — hazard. “risk” means n. the possibility of something bad happening. Study “risk” →
The kind volunteers worked hard to ease the ______ of the flood victims.
B — suffering. “suffering” means n. the state of experiencing pain or hardship. Study “suffering” →
Select the best synonym for the word “chat”:
D — converse. “chat” means v. to talk in a friendly and informal way. Study “chat” →
The two walls meet at a perfect right ______ in the corner of the room.
A — angle. “angle” means n. the space between two lines or surfaces that meet. Study “angle” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “damp”:
A — moist. “damp” means adj. slightly wet. Study “damp” →
Her cold ______ toward the very sad news surprised all of her friends.
B — indifference. “indifference” means n. lack of interest, concern, or sympathy. Study “indifference” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “pretend”:
B — feign. “pretend” means v. to act as if something is true when it is not. Study “pretend” →
The library book was two whole weeks ______, so she had to pay a fine.
A — overdue. “overdue” means adj. not done or happening when expected. Study “overdue” →
Select the best synonym for the word “project”:
A — undertaking. “project” means n. a planned piece of work with a specific purpose. Study “project” →
She wore a ______ pale blue dress that everyone admired at the party.
D — lovely. “lovely” means adj. very beautiful or attractive. Study “lovely” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “mild”:
A — gentle. “mild” means adj. gentle or not severe. Study “mild” →
The ______ road sign pointed the tourists in the completely wrong direction.
A — misleading. “misleading” means adj. giving the wrong idea or impression. Study “misleading” →
Select the best synonym for the word “something”:
A — anything. “something” means pron. an unspecified thing. Study “something” →
She polished the scuffed old shoes until they were bright and ______.
C — shiny. “shiny” means adj. bright and smooth. Study “shiny” →
Select the best synonym for the word “fail”:
C — founder. “fail” means v. to not succeed in achieving something. Study “fail” →
Please ______ off the bright light before you leave the empty room.
C — switch. “switch” means v. to change from one thing to another. Study “switch” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “limited”:
A — restricted. “limited” means adj. restricted in size, amount, or extent. Study “limited” →
Despite her great fame, she was quiet and ______, never bragging at all.
B — unassuming. “unassuming” means adj. modest; not pretentious. Study “unassuming” →
Select the best synonym for the word “vista”:
A — panorama. “vista” means n. a pleasing view, especially one seen through a long, narrow opening. Study “vista” →
Colors blend into one another along a smooth ______ from red to violet.
D — continuum. “continuum” means n. a continuous sequence or range. Study “continuum” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “forgiveness”:
D — pardon. “forgiveness” means n. the act of forgiving someone for a mistake or wrongdoing. Study “forgiveness” →
The ______ stone towers of the cathedral rose high above the whole city.
B — lofty. “lofty” means adj. very high and impressive. Study “lofty” →
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.