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.
What is the best synonym for the word “lassitude” as used in the following sentence? After running the marathon, Jenna felt an overwhelming sense of lassitude and needed to rest.
C — exhaustion. “lassitude” means n. Fatigue and weariness; lethargy. Study “lassitude” →
Utterly ______, she vowed to finish the grueling race no matter what.
B — resolved. “resolved” means adj. determined decided firm. Study “resolved” →
Choose the word that is closest in meaning to: Galvanize.
A — Encourage. “galvanize” means v. stimulate; energize; motivate. Study “galvanize” →
Many busy people find that quiet gardening has a calming, ______ effect.
B — therapeutic. “therapeutic” means adj. Healing and beneficial; curative. Study “therapeutic” →
Which of the following words is closest in meaning to “effrontery”?
A — audacity. “effrontery” means n. audacity; impudence; nerve. Study “effrontery” →
A long string of defeats can badly ______ even the strongest team.
D — demoralize. “demoralize” means v. to discourage; dishearten; undermine. Study “demoralize” →
Choose the word that is most similar in meaning to “magnanimous”: Despite his victory, the champion remained magnanimous and praised his opponent''s skill.
A — generous. “magnanimous” means adj. generous noble forgiving. Study “magnanimous” →
The bright yellow scarf helped ______ the deep color of her eyes.
C — accentuate. “accentuate” means v. emphasize highlight stress. Study “accentuate” →
Which word is a synonym for “rampant” in the following sentence? “The rumors spread rampant through the school.”
C — unchecked. “rampant” means adj. flourishing or spreading unchecked. Study “rampant” →
The tired old speaker began to ______ on and on, losing his main point entirely.
A — ramble. “ramble” means v. wander chat talk aimlessly. Study “ramble” →
Choose the synonym for the word “hackneyed”: Although the storyline was meant to be thrilling, it turned out to be quite hackneyed, leaving the audience unimpressed.
B — Clichéd. “hackneyed” means adj. overused stale trite. Study “hackneyed” →
Waking in the strange, dark room, he felt completely lost and ______.
C — disoriented. “disoriented” means adj. confused and unsure of one''s surroundings. Study “disoriented” →
Which of the following words is a synonym for “refute”?
B — Deny. “refute” means v. disprove; contradict; rebut. Study “refute” →
When the star fell ill, a ______ quickly stepped in to play her role.
B — surrogate. “surrogate” means n. substitute; replacement; proxy. Study “surrogate” →
Which word is a synonym for “chary”?
C — cautious. “chary” means adj. cautiously or suspiciously reluctant to do something. Study “chary” →
The deep notes of the great organ seemed to ______ through the whole cathedral.
C — resonate. “resonate” means v. to produce or be filled with a deep, full, reverberating sound; to evoke or suggest images, memories, and emotions. Study “resonate” →
What does the word “confidential” most nearly mean?
B — secretive. “confidential” means adj. meant to be kept secret or private. Study “confidential” →
The ______ government is responsible for the city's parks and roads.
D — municipal. “municipal” means adj. relating to a town or city or its governing body.. Study “municipal” →
What is a synonym for “equivocal”?
A — ambiguous. “equivocal” means adj. open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous.. Study “equivocal” →
Please ______ from talking loudly during the quiet evening performance.
D — refrain. “refrain” means v. to hold oneself back from doing something. Study “refrain” →
Choose a synonym for the word “inconceivable”:
B — unthinkable. “inconceivable” means adj. impossible to imagine or believe. Study “inconceivable” →
A friendly guard will ______ visitors all through the guarded museum.
B — accompany. “accompany” means v. to go with someone as a companion or escort. Study “accompany” →
In an attempt to maintain peace, the government decided to quash the rebellion with decisive force. What does “quash” most nearly mean?
A — suppress. “quash” means v. to suppress; annul; crush. Study “quash” →
The huge new library offered a ______ of books on every subject imaginable.
B — plethora. “plethora” means n. abundance excess overabundance. Study “plethora” →
What is a synonym for the word “abstract”?
B — conceptual. “abstract” means adj. existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence. Study “abstract” →
The ______ old farmer rarely spoke more than a few words in a whole day.
D — taciturn. “taciturn” means adj. silent reserved quiet. Study “taciturn” →
Which of the following is a synonym for “nugatory”?
A — Insignificant. “nugatory” means adj. worthless; futile; ineffective. Study “nugatory” →
The blazing desert sun will quickly ______ anyone without enough water.
C — dehydrate. “dehydrate” means v. to remove water from something or to lose water, especially bodily fluids. Study “dehydrate” →
Which of the following is a synonym for proliferate?
B — multiply. “proliferate” means v. to increase rapidly in numbers or amount. Study “proliferate” →
A wise investor is ______, studying every possible risk before spending a cent.
A — circumspect. “circumspect” means Adj. careful; cautious; prudent; wary. Study “circumspect” →
Choose the word that is the best synonym for “conciliate”.
B — Pacify. “conciliate” means v. To appease; reconcile. Study “conciliate” →
Ignoring the king's personal invitation was seen as a serious ______.
D — affront. “affront” means n. insult offense affront. Study “affront” →
Choose the word that is closest in meaning to “aptitude”:
B — talent. “aptitude” means n. a natural ability to do something or to learn something. Study “aptitude” →
His ______ headaches came and went unpredictably throughout the year.
B — episodic. “episodic” means adj. occurring in episodes; sporadic. Study “episodic” →
Choose the word that is a synonym for “guise”:
A — Facade. “guise” means n. appearance disguise form. Study “guise” →
Love and justice are ______ ideas that cannot be touched or seen.
B — abstract. “abstract” means adj. existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence. Study “abstract” →
In the context of the weather forecast, the meteorologist used the word “acute” to describe the upcoming storm. What is the synonym for “acute” in this context?
B — severe. “acute” means adj. sharp; severe; intense. Study “acute” →
A kind teacher will never ______ a student for asking a simple question.
D — disparage. “disparage” means v. belittle; criticize; diminish. Study “disparage” →
Choose the synonym for the word “stagnant” as used in the sentence: The pond was stagnant, with no movement and a foul odor.
C — Inactive. “stagnant” means adj. motionless; inactive; static. Study “stagnant” →
The sheer vastness of the universe is almost ______ to the human mind.
B — unfathomable. “unfathomable” means adj. difficult or impossible to understand. Study “unfathomable” →
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 Upper 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.