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.
Choose the word that is most similar in meaning to “allay”: After hearing the calming words of the teacher, the students'' fears were greatly allayed.
B — Reduced. “allay” means v. relieve ease calm. Study “allay” →
Choose the synonym for the word “condescend”:
A — patronize. “condescend” means v. lower oneself; act superior. Study “condescend” →
Choose the synonym for the word in context: The group''s congenial atmosphere made everyone feel at ease.
B — Friendly. “congenial” means adj. compatible; agreeable; pleasant. Study “congenial” →
What is a synonym of “mire” in the context of being in a difficult situation?
A — bog. “mire” means n. a situation or state of difficulty, distress, or embarrassment that is hard to extricate oneself from. Study “mire” →
What is a synonym of “coherent”?
A — logical. “coherent” means adj. logical and consistent. Study “coherent” →
Which of the following words is a synonym for “requisite”?
C — indispensable. “requisite” means adj. necessary or essential. Study “requisite” →
Choose the word that is most similar in meaning to “asset” as used in the sentence: “His keen sense of humor has always been an asset to him.”
C — advantage. “asset” means n. a useful or valuable thing, person, or quality.. Study “asset” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “compulsory”:
B — obligatory. “compulsory” means adj. Mandatory and required; obligatory. Study “compulsory” →
Which word is the best synonym for “prelude”?
B — introduction. “prelude” means n. an introductory or preliminary performance or event. Study “prelude” →
Choose the word that is closest in meaning to “appease”: To appease someone is to:
A — Satisfy. “appease” means v. pacify calm satisfy. Study “appease” →
Which of the following words is a synonym for “renowned”?
B — famous. “renowned” means adj. widely known and esteemed. Study “renowned” →
What is a synonym for elucidate?
B — clarify. “elucidate” means v. to make (something) clear or easy to understand. Study “elucidate” →
Choose the best synonym for the word “flourish”:
D — thrive. “flourish” means v. to grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way. Study “flourish” →
Which of the following is a synonym for “facet”?
C — aspect. “facet” means n. one side of something many-sided, especially of a cut gem.. Study “facet” →
Choose the word that is closest in meaning to “levity” as used in the sentence: “The speaker”s levity during a serious discussion was not well received by the audience.''
C — frivolity. “levity” means n. lightness; frivolity; humor. Study “levity” →
Choose the word that is closest in meaning to “adamant” in the sentence: Despite numerous objections, she remained adamant that the project should proceed.
B — unyielding. “adamant” means adj. firm; unyielding; stubborn. Study “adamant” →
Choose the word that is closest in meaning to “vacillate”:
A — Hesitate. “vacillate” means v. waver; hesitate; fluctuate. Study “vacillate” →
Which word is a synonym of cumbersome?
A — awkward. “cumbersome” means adj. large or heavy and therefore difficult to carry or use. Study “cumbersome” →
In an effort to assuage the customers'' concerns, the company decided to:
B — address. “assuage” means V. to make less intense; soothe; relieve. Study “assuage” →
Which of the following words is a synonym for “skulk”?
C — lurk. “skulk” means v. to move or lurk in a stealthy or cowardly way. Study “skulk” →
It would be truly ______ of me not to thank everyone who kindly helped.
A — remiss. “remiss” means adj. lacking care or attention to duty; negligent. Study “remiss” →
Only through great ______ did she finally manage to finish the marathon.
A — perseverance. “perseverance” means n. persistence; determination; tenacity. Study “perseverance” →
She told her very deepest secrets only to her most trusted ______.
C — confidant. “confidant” means n. a person with whom one shares a secret or private matter, trusting them not to repeat it to others.. Study “confidant” →
The busy lawyer carried a ______ file stuffed with thousands of pages.
B — voluminous. “voluminous” means adj. Extensive and massive; bulky. Study “voluminous” →
The pushy salesman made ______ claims that the pills could cure any disease.
A — dubious. “dubious” means adj. questionable uncertain suspicious. Study “dubious” →
A hundred years ago, instant global messaging would have seemed ______.
C — inconceivable. “inconceivable” means adj. impossible to imagine or believe. Study “inconceivable” →
The coach saw great, ______ talent in the shy boy that no one else had noticed.
C — latent. “latent” means adj. existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or concealed. Study “latent” →
Passed away is a gentle ______ that people use instead of the word died.
A — euphemism. “euphemism” means n. mild expression; polite substitute. Study “euphemism” →
The soldier received a medal for his ______ courage during the battle.
C — exemplary. “exemplary” means adj. outstandingly good; serving as a desirable model or example.. Study “exemplary” →
The old healer claimed the strange root had powerful ______ properties.
A — curative. “curative” means adj. healing; therapeutic; medicinal. Study “curative” →
The sudden _______ in the region caused many people to flee their homes.
A — upheaval. “upheaval” means n. a violent or sudden change or disruption to something.. Study “upheaval” →
The author set her novel in a ______ town that exists only on the page.
D — fictitious. “fictitious” means adj. not real and existing only in the imagination; invented or fabricated. Study “fictitious” →
The solemn funeral was conducted with great dignity and quiet ______.
A — sobriety. “sobriety” means n. seriousness; gravity; temperance. Study “sobriety” →
A heavy ______ crept over the students in the warm afternoon lecture.
C — somnolence. “somnolence” means n. sleepiness; drowsiness; lethargy. Study “somnolence” →
The bakery's sweet warm smell was designed to ______ hungry customers inside.
A — entice. “entice” means v. to attract or lure by offering something appealing. Study “entice” →
Surrounded by ______ company, she felt relaxed and genuinely happy.
C — congenial. “congenial” means adj. compatible; agreeable; pleasant. Study “congenial” →
The narrator of the story is ______, aware of every character's secret thoughts.
A — omniscient. “omniscient” means adj. knowing everything. Study “omniscient” →
He suffered from the strange ______ that he was a mighty ancient king.
C — delusion. “delusion” means n. false belief; illusion; fantasy. Study “delusion” →
The teacher had to gently ______ the students for talking during the test.
D — admonish. “admonish” means v. warn; scold; advise. Study “admonish” →
The new CEO helped elevate the company''s ______.
A — prestige. “prestige” means n. high status or respect based on qualities or achievements. Study “prestige” →
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.