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 “barbarian”:
A — savage. “barbarian” means n. a person in a culture believed to be less civilized. Study “barbarian” →
Athletes often use ______ to picture themselves clearly winning the race.
B — visualization. “visualization” means n. the act of forming a mental image of something. Study “visualization” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “unclear”:
B — vague. “unclear” means adj. not easy to understand or see. Study “unclear” →
Careless factories should never ______ the clean, fresh water of the river.
D — pollute. “pollute” means v. to make something dirty or harmful to the environment. Study “pollute” →
Select the best synonym for the word “divide”:
D — split. “divide” means v. to separate into parts or groups. Study “divide” →
The long, harsh drought caused a serious ______ of clean drinking water.
A — scarcity. “scarcity” means n. a situation in which something is not easy to find or get. Study “scarcity” →
Select the best synonym for the word “gut”:
A — intestines. “gut” means n. the internal organs of an animal; v. to remove the internal organs. Study “gut” →
He was completely ______ of the great danger waiting just ahead of him.
C — ignorant. “ignorant” means adj. lacking knowledge or awareness. Study “ignorant” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “illusion”:
B — delusion. “illusion” means n. a false idea or belief; something that is not what it seems. Study “illusion” →
As a strict ______, she checked every tiny detail three whole times.
D — perfectionist. “perfectionist” means n. a person who refuses to accept any standard short of perfection. Study “perfectionist” →
Select the best synonym for the word “scrooge”:
C — miser. “scrooge” means n. a person who is stingy with money. Study “scrooge” →
The new medicine was carefully ______ before it was sold to the public.
D — tested. “tested” means adj. tried and proven to be effective. Study “tested” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “nervous”:
A — anxious. “nervous” means adj. easily agitated or alarmed. Study “nervous” →
It is perfectly ______ to feel a little nervous before a very big test.
D — normal. “normal” means adj. usual or expected. Study “normal” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “unknown”:
B — unfamiliar. “unknown” means adj. not known or familiar. Study “unknown” →
The campus tour is designed to ______ new students with the whole school.
D — familiarize. “familiarize” means v. to make someone aware of or comfortable with something. Study “familiarize” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “decoration”:
A — ornament. “decoration” means n. something used to make a place look more attractive. Study “decoration” →
Passing the swimming test is a ______ for joining the sailing club.
C — requirement. “requirement” means n. something that is needed or demanded. Study “requirement” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “keeping”:
C — custody. “keeping” means n. the act of retaining or holding something. Study “keeping” →
The very ______ job left her exhausted at the end of each long day.
C — demanding. “demanding” means adj. requiring much effort or attention. Study “demanding” →
Select the best synonym for the word “meeting”:
A — gathering. “meeting” means n. an assembly of people for a particular purpose. Study “meeting” →
After a very long climb, they finally reached the ______ of the tall hill.
A — top. “top” means n. the highest part or point of something. Study “top” →
Select the best synonym for the word “badly”:
B — poorly. “badly” means adv. in a poor or unsatisfactory way. Study “badly” →
Her constant ______ in his plans finally made him very angry.
A — meddling. “meddling” means n. the act of interfering in something. Study “meddling” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “dinner”:
A — supper. “dinner” means n. the main meal of the day, usually in the evening. Study “dinner” →
Years of daily dance kept her whole body ______ and easy to move.
C — supple. “supple” means adj. bending or moving easily. Study “supple” →
Select the best synonym for the word “impede”:
D — hinder. “impede” means v. to slow down or block the progress of something. Study “impede” →
His positive ______ helped him stay hopeful even during very hard times.
D — mentality. “mentality” means n. a way of thinking or the ability to think. Study “mentality” →
Select the best synonym for the word “neglect”:
A — disregard. “neglect” means v. to fail to care for properly. Study “neglect” →
The bright morning sunlight slowly began to ______ the sleepy campers.
B — awaken. “awaken” means v. to stop sleeping or to make someone stop sleeping. Study “awaken” →
Select the best synonym for the word “current”:
D — present. “current” means adj. happening or existing now. Study “current” →
Tall radio towers can ______ signals across many hundreds of miles.
C — transmit. “transmit” means v. to send or pass something from one person or place to another. Study “transmit” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “inconsistent”:
B — erratic. “inconsistent” means adj. not staying the same throughout. Study “inconsistent” →
The young student practiced adding large ______ together every day.
C — numbers. “numbers” means n. mathematical objects used to count, measure, and label. Study “numbers” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “large”:
B — sizable. “large” means adj. of considerable or relatively great size, extent, or capacity. Study “large” →
The cold mountain spring gave clear, ______ water that was safe to drink.
B — pure. “pure” means adj. not mixed with anything else. Study “pure” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “pitiful”:
A — pathetic. “pitiful” means adj. deserving or causing feelings of pity. Study “pitiful” →
The back of the book gave a short ______ of the whole exciting story.
A — synopsis. “synopsis” means n. a brief summary or general survey of something. Study “synopsis” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “small”:
B — tiny. “small” means adj. little in size, amount, or degree. Study “small” →
The huge store sells a wide ______ of books on every possible subject.
B — range. “range” means n. the extent or scope of something. Study “range” →
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.