40 Verbal Reasoning questions — Part 1: 20 synonym, Part 2: 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 word or phrase that is most similar in meaning to “apathy”.
A — Indifference. “apathy” means n. indifference lack of interest. Study “apathy” →
What is the closest synonym for “municipal”?
A — civic. “municipal” means adj. relating to a town or city or its governing body.. Study “municipal” →
What is the best synonym for the word “engross” as used in the sentence: The book was so interesting that it managed to engross her for hours?
C — absorb. “engross” means v. absorb fascinate captivate. Study “engross” →
Choose the word that is most similar in meaning to “rife”: The rumors about the new policy were ______ throughout the office.
B — common. “rife” means adj. Widespread and prevalent; abundant. Study “rife” →
Choose the word that is closest in meaning to “assess”:
A — evaluate. “assess” means v. to evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality of. Study “assess” →
Which of the following is a synonym for the word “muddle”?
A — Confusion. “muddle” means v. confuse mix up disorder. Study “muddle” →
What is a synonym for antiquated?
C — archaic. “antiquated” means adj. old-fashioned or outdated. Study “antiquated” →
Which word is the best synonym for “peril”?
B — danger. “peril” means n. serious and immediate danger. Study “peril” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “lettered”:
D — learned. “lettered” means adj. educated; scholarly; learned. Study “lettered” →
What is the best synonym for the word “confidant”?
C — confederate. “confidant” means n. a person with whom one shares a secret or private matter, trusting them not to repeat it to others.. Study “confidant” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “acclimate”:
D — adapt. “acclimate” means v. to adjust or become accustomed to a new environment or situation. Study “acclimate” →
Choose the word that is closest in meaning to “alienate” in the following sentence: The manager''s decision to ignore employee suggestions began to alienate the team.
A — Isolate. “alienate” means v. estrange isolate separate. Study “alienate” →
Which of the following words is closest in meaning to “latent”?
C — hidden. “latent” means adj. existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or concealed. Study “latent” →
Which of the following is the best synonym for “abrogate”?
B — Abolish. “abrogate” means v. abolish; cancel; repeal. Study “abrogate” →
Which word is a synonym for “innovate”?
A — Create. “innovate” means v. to create; introduce; modernize. Study “innovate” →
Which of the following is a synonym for the word “thrive”?
A — Flourish. “thrive” means v. flourish; prosper; succeed. Study “thrive” →
In the heat of midsummer, the hikers were overcome with languor, struggling to continue their journey.
C — lethargy. “languor” means n. tiredness weakness lethargy. Study “languor” →
Which of the following words is the best synonym for “eminent”?
A — Prominent. “eminent” means adj. distinguished; prominent; notable. Study “eminent” →
Select the synonym for the word “superfluous” as used in the sentence: The decorations on the cake were beautiful, but some thought they were superfluous.
C — excessive. “superfluous” means adj. unnecessary; excessive; redundant. Study “superfluous” →
Select the best synonym for the word “peruse”:
A — examine. “peruse” means v. read carefully; examine; study. Study “peruse” →
The melting clocks in the painting created a strange, ______ scene.
A — surreal. “surreal” means Adj. dreamlike; bizarre; fantastical. Study “surreal” →
Too ______ to buy a ticket, the young artist quietly sneaked into the concert.
D — impecunious. “impecunious” means adj. Poor and penniless; broke. Study “impecunious” →
With a wickedly ______ grin, the child hid his sister's shoe behind the couch.
A — impish. “impish” means adj. mischievous; playful; naughty. Study “impish” →
Strict park rules ______ visitors from feeding any of the wild animals.
B — prohibit. “prohibit” means v. forbid ban prevent. Study “prohibit” →
The beauty of the sunset was ______, gone within just a few short minutes.
B — evanescent. “evanescent” means adj. quickly fading or disappearing. Study “evanescent” →
The ruler tried hard to ______ every report of the failed harvest.
C — suppress. “suppress” means v. to stop or prevent something from being seen or expressed. Study “suppress” →
In a ______ discussion, she told her boss exactly what she thought.
C — frank. “frank” means adj. Honest and direct; candid. Study “frank” →
She showed great courage and grace in the face of terrible ______.
A — adversity. “adversity” means N. hardship; misfortune; difficulty. Study “adversity” →
In ______ for his great kindness, they gladly offered him a place to stay.
D — requital. “requital” means n. repayment; recompense; revenge. Study “requital” →
The ______ professor stubbornly refused to consider any idea but his own.
B — dogmatic. “dogmatic” means adj. rigid; inflexible; opinionated. Study “dogmatic” →
Several angry states threatened to ______ from the union over the dispute.
D — secede. “secede” means v. withdraw separate leave. Study “secede” →
The wise editor praised the report for both its clarity and its ______.
B — brevity. “brevity” means n. conciseness; shortness; terseness. Study “brevity” →
Whether he arrives by car or by train is ______ to the final result.
A — immaterial. “immaterial” means adj. irrelevant unimportant spiritual. Study “immaterial” →
The ______ lake lay perfectly still beneath the pale morning sky.
D — placid. “placid” means adj. calm; peaceful; serene. Study “placid” →
Her bright, ______ personality made her the center of every gathering.
B — effervescent. “effervescent” means adj. lively and enthusiastic. Study “effervescent” →
The designer cared deeply about the ______ appeal of every single room.
B — aesthetic. “aesthetic” means adj. artistic; beautiful; tasteful. Study “aesthetic” →
With a deeply ______ expression, she promised to work harder than ever before.
D — earnest. “earnest” means adj. showing sincere and intense conviction. Study “earnest” →
As you climb higher and higher, the mountain air begins to ______ and thin out.
C — rarefy. “rarefy” means v. thin dilute purify. Study “rarefy” →
Repeating the old rumor will only ______ a harmful and completely false belief.
B — perpetuate. “perpetuate” means v. to make something continue indefinitely. Study “perpetuate” →
There is a huge ______ between the wages of the richest and poorest workers.
B — disparity. “disparity” means n. a noticeable and often unfair difference between people or things. Study “disparity” →
Score:
Every question below is now marked up: the correct answer is highlighted in red, and any option you picked that was wrong is highlighted in blue.
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 — Part 1 is 20 synonym questions, Part 2 is 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.