ISEE Upper Level Vocabulary UPDATED
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Abate - CORRECT ANSWER - Lessen (I was waiting for the medicine to abate the pain in
my leg)
Avid - CORRECT ANSWER - Enthusiastic (John was an avid supporter of the school
soccer team)
Avail - CORRECT ANSWER - Help (John tried to start his car, but to no avail)
Adverse - CORRECT ANSWER - Harmful (I didn't realize the adverse effects of the drug)
Affront - CORRECT ANSWER - Insult (I did not mean to affront you)
Abound - CORRECT ANSWER - Overflow (For my birthday, we are going to a place
where food abounds)
Ascent - CORRECT ANSWER - Rise (Britney Spears began her ascent to stardom at a
young age)
Affluence - CORRECT ANSWER - Wealth (Many NBA players live a life of affluence)
Abominable - CORRECT ANSWER - Cruel (The uprising was suppressed with
abominable cruelty)
Adept - CORRECT ANSWER - Skilled (He was an adept craftsman)
,Aspiration - CORRECT ANSWER - Desire/goal (His greatest aspiration is to win an
Olympic gold medal)
Ardor - CORRECT ANSWER - Passion for something (Their insults did not reduce his
ardor for the environment)
Apathy - CORRECT ANSWER - Disinterest (Students showed apathy when confronted
with homework)
Abdicate - CORRECT ANSWER - Give up duties (The king abdicated his throne)
Abridge - CORRECT ANSWER - Shorten (My teacher had us read the abridged version of
the book because it was so long)
Abet - CORRECT ANSWER - Help someone in wrongdoing (She abetted the thief in his
getaway)
Affable - CORRECT ANSWER - Friendly (My affable neighbor made us brownies when
we moved in next door)
Ambigous - CORRECT ANSWER - Confusing (My teacher's directions for the project
were ambiguous, so I asked for clarification)
Amiable - CORRECT ANSWER - Friendly (My affable neighbor made us brownies when
we moved in next door)
Bane - CORRECT ANSWER - Cause of distress/Bad thing (Distraction is the bane of
productivity)
Belie - CORRECT ANSWER - Misleading (Their actions belie their claim to be innocent)
,Belligerent - CORRECT ANSWER - Agressive (The belligerent man swung his fist)
Benign - CORRECT ANSWER - Harmless (Thankfully, the tumor was benign)
Bestow - CORRECT ANSWER - Grant upon (I want to bestow upon you a gift)
Boisterous - CORRECT ANSWER - Lively (A boisterous crowd attended the concert)
Blatant - CORRECT ANSWER - Offensive, forward (Her blatant disregard for following
directions really annoyed me)
Brevity - CORRECT ANSWER - Brief (I like the brevity of this definition)
Bungle - CORRECT ANSWER - Mess up (I bungled the job given to me)
Burgeon - CORRECT ANSWER - Grow/blossom (Her burgeoning career made her
hopeful that she would one day own the mansion down the street)
Bolster - CORRECT ANSWER - Strengthen (I want to bolster my career)
Bedevil - CORRECT ANSWER - Harass (Please do not bedevil me with constant practical
jokes)
Berate - CORRECT ANSWER - Scold (My mother berated me for not making the bed)
Candid - CORRECT ANSWER - Honest/upfront opinion (I'd like to be candid with you
about the way you treated me yesterday)
, Commend - CORRECT ANSWER - Praise (I'd like to commend everyone for their efforts
during this troublesome time)
Concede - CORRECT ANSWER - Acknowledge/Admit (I had to concede that I had
overreacted)
Contempt - CORRECT ANSWER - Disrespect (He showed his contempt for his job by
doing it very badly)
Contrite - CORRECT ANSWER - Regretful (Being contrite will not help you escape
prison)
Callous - CORRECT ANSWER - Insensitive (His callous refusal to help the poor was
shocking to us all)
Capitulate - CORRECT ANSWER - Surrender/give up (The country refused to capitulate)
Capricious - CORRECT ANSWER - Changes frequently (I was at the mercy of a
capricious manager)
Chagrin - CORRECT ANSWER - Embarrassment (Jeff, much to his chagrin, wasn't
invited)
Chicanery - CORRECT ANSWER - Trickery (The candidate won the election through
chicanery)
Complacent - CORRECT ANSWER - Satisfied; not wanting to change (You should not be
complacent about security)
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Abate - CORRECT ANSWER - Lessen (I was waiting for the medicine to abate the pain in
my leg)
Avid - CORRECT ANSWER - Enthusiastic (John was an avid supporter of the school
soccer team)
Avail - CORRECT ANSWER - Help (John tried to start his car, but to no avail)
Adverse - CORRECT ANSWER - Harmful (I didn't realize the adverse effects of the drug)
Affront - CORRECT ANSWER - Insult (I did not mean to affront you)
Abound - CORRECT ANSWER - Overflow (For my birthday, we are going to a place
where food abounds)
Ascent - CORRECT ANSWER - Rise (Britney Spears began her ascent to stardom at a
young age)
Affluence - CORRECT ANSWER - Wealth (Many NBA players live a life of affluence)
Abominable - CORRECT ANSWER - Cruel (The uprising was suppressed with
abominable cruelty)
Adept - CORRECT ANSWER - Skilled (He was an adept craftsman)
,Aspiration - CORRECT ANSWER - Desire/goal (His greatest aspiration is to win an
Olympic gold medal)
Ardor - CORRECT ANSWER - Passion for something (Their insults did not reduce his
ardor for the environment)
Apathy - CORRECT ANSWER - Disinterest (Students showed apathy when confronted
with homework)
Abdicate - CORRECT ANSWER - Give up duties (The king abdicated his throne)
Abridge - CORRECT ANSWER - Shorten (My teacher had us read the abridged version of
the book because it was so long)
Abet - CORRECT ANSWER - Help someone in wrongdoing (She abetted the thief in his
getaway)
Affable - CORRECT ANSWER - Friendly (My affable neighbor made us brownies when
we moved in next door)
Ambigous - CORRECT ANSWER - Confusing (My teacher's directions for the project
were ambiguous, so I asked for clarification)
Amiable - CORRECT ANSWER - Friendly (My affable neighbor made us brownies when
we moved in next door)
Bane - CORRECT ANSWER - Cause of distress/Bad thing (Distraction is the bane of
productivity)
Belie - CORRECT ANSWER - Misleading (Their actions belie their claim to be innocent)
,Belligerent - CORRECT ANSWER - Agressive (The belligerent man swung his fist)
Benign - CORRECT ANSWER - Harmless (Thankfully, the tumor was benign)
Bestow - CORRECT ANSWER - Grant upon (I want to bestow upon you a gift)
Boisterous - CORRECT ANSWER - Lively (A boisterous crowd attended the concert)
Blatant - CORRECT ANSWER - Offensive, forward (Her blatant disregard for following
directions really annoyed me)
Brevity - CORRECT ANSWER - Brief (I like the brevity of this definition)
Bungle - CORRECT ANSWER - Mess up (I bungled the job given to me)
Burgeon - CORRECT ANSWER - Grow/blossom (Her burgeoning career made her
hopeful that she would one day own the mansion down the street)
Bolster - CORRECT ANSWER - Strengthen (I want to bolster my career)
Bedevil - CORRECT ANSWER - Harass (Please do not bedevil me with constant practical
jokes)
Berate - CORRECT ANSWER - Scold (My mother berated me for not making the bed)
Candid - CORRECT ANSWER - Honest/upfront opinion (I'd like to be candid with you
about the way you treated me yesterday)
, Commend - CORRECT ANSWER - Praise (I'd like to commend everyone for their efforts
during this troublesome time)
Concede - CORRECT ANSWER - Acknowledge/Admit (I had to concede that I had
overreacted)
Contempt - CORRECT ANSWER - Disrespect (He showed his contempt for his job by
doing it very badly)
Contrite - CORRECT ANSWER - Regretful (Being contrite will not help you escape
prison)
Callous - CORRECT ANSWER - Insensitive (His callous refusal to help the poor was
shocking to us all)
Capitulate - CORRECT ANSWER - Surrender/give up (The country refused to capitulate)
Capricious - CORRECT ANSWER - Changes frequently (I was at the mercy of a
capricious manager)
Chagrin - CORRECT ANSWER - Embarrassment (Jeff, much to his chagrin, wasn't
invited)
Chicanery - CORRECT ANSWER - Trickery (The candidate won the election through
chicanery)
Complacent - CORRECT ANSWER - Satisfied; not wanting to change (You should not be
complacent about security)
