ISEE Upper Level Vocabulary Exam
2025 Questions and Answers
Abate - ANSWER✔✔-Lessen (I was waiting for the medicine to abate the pain in my
leg)
Avid - ANSWER✔✔-Enthusiastic (John was an avid supporter of the school soccer
team)
Avail - ANSWER✔✔-Help (John tried to start his car, but to no avail)
Adverse - ANSWER✔✔-Harmful (I didn't realize the adverse effects of the drug)
Affront - ANSWER✔✔-Insult (I did not mean to affront you)
Abound - ANSWER✔✔-Overflow (For my birthday, we are going to a place where food
abounds)
Ascent - ANSWER✔✔-Rise (Britney Spears began her ascent to stardom at a young age)
Affluence - ANSWER✔✔-Wealth (Many NBA players live a life of affluence)
,Abominable - ANSWER✔✔-Cruel (The uprising was suppressed with abominable
cruelty)
Adept - ANSWER✔✔-Skilled (He was an adept craftsman)
Aspiration - ANSWER✔✔-Desire/goal (His greatest aspiration is to win an Olympic
gold medal)
Ardor - ANSWER✔✔-Passion for something (Their insults did not reduce his ardor for
the environment)
Apathy - ANSWER✔✔-Disinterest (Students showed apathy when confronted with
homework)
Abdicate - ANSWER✔✔-Give up duties (The king abdicated his throne)
Abridge - ANSWER✔✔-Shorten (My teacher had us read the abridged version of the
book because it was so long)
Abet - ANSWER✔✔-Help someone in wrongdoing (She abetted the thief in his
getaway)
Affable - ANSWER✔✔-Friendly (My affable neighbor made us brownies when we
moved in next door)
Ambigous - ANSWER✔✔-Confusing (My teacher's directions for the project were
ambiguous, so I asked for clarification)
,Amiable - ANSWER✔✔-Friendly (My affable neighbor made us brownies when we
moved in next door)
Bane - ANSWER✔✔-Cause of distress/Bad thing (Distraction is the bane of
productivity)
Belie - ANSWER✔✔-Misleading (Their actions belie their claim to be innocent)
Belligerent - ANSWER✔✔-Agressive (The belligerent man swung his fist)
Benign - ANSWER✔✔-Harmless (Thankfully, the tumor was benign)
Bestow - ANSWER✔✔-Grant upon (I want to bestow upon you a gift)
Boisterous - ANSWER✔✔-Lively (A boisterous crowd attended the concert)
Blatant - ANSWER✔✔-Offensive, forward (Her blatant disregard for following
directions really annoyed me)
Brevity - ANSWER✔✔-Brief (I like the brevity of this definition)
Bungle - ANSWER✔✔-Mess up (I bungled the job given to me)
Burgeon - ANSWER✔✔-Grow/blossom (Her burgeoning career made her hopeful that
she would one day own the mansion down the street)
Bolster - ANSWER✔✔-Strengthen (I want to bolster my career)
Bedevil - ANSWER✔✔-Harass (Please do not bedevil me with constant practical jokes)
, Berate - ANSWER✔✔-Scold (My mother berated me for not making the bed)
Candid - ANSWER✔✔-Honest/upfront opinion (I'd like to be candid with you about
the way you treated me yesterday)
Commend - ANSWER✔✔-Praise (I'd like to commend everyone for their efforts during
this troublesome time)
Concede - ANSWER✔✔-Acknowledge/Admit (I had to concede that I had overreacted)
Contempt - ANSWER✔✔-Disrespect (He showed his contempt for his job by doing it
very badly)
Contrite - ANSWER✔✔-Regretful (Being contrite will not help you escape prison)
Callous - ANSWER✔✔-Insensitive (His callous refusal to help the poor was shocking to
us all)
Capitulate - ANSWER✔✔-Surrender/give up (The country refused to capitulate)
Capricious - ANSWER✔✔-Changes frequently (I was at the mercy of a capricious
manager)
Chagrin - ANSWER✔✔-Embarrassment (Jeff, much to his chagrin, wasn't invited)
Chicanery - ANSWER✔✔-Trickery (The candidate won the election through chicanery)
Complacent - ANSWER✔✔-Satisfied; not wanting to change (You should not be
complacent about security)
2025 Questions and Answers
Abate - ANSWER✔✔-Lessen (I was waiting for the medicine to abate the pain in my
leg)
Avid - ANSWER✔✔-Enthusiastic (John was an avid supporter of the school soccer
team)
Avail - ANSWER✔✔-Help (John tried to start his car, but to no avail)
Adverse - ANSWER✔✔-Harmful (I didn't realize the adverse effects of the drug)
Affront - ANSWER✔✔-Insult (I did not mean to affront you)
Abound - ANSWER✔✔-Overflow (For my birthday, we are going to a place where food
abounds)
Ascent - ANSWER✔✔-Rise (Britney Spears began her ascent to stardom at a young age)
Affluence - ANSWER✔✔-Wealth (Many NBA players live a life of affluence)
,Abominable - ANSWER✔✔-Cruel (The uprising was suppressed with abominable
cruelty)
Adept - ANSWER✔✔-Skilled (He was an adept craftsman)
Aspiration - ANSWER✔✔-Desire/goal (His greatest aspiration is to win an Olympic
gold medal)
Ardor - ANSWER✔✔-Passion for something (Their insults did not reduce his ardor for
the environment)
Apathy - ANSWER✔✔-Disinterest (Students showed apathy when confronted with
homework)
Abdicate - ANSWER✔✔-Give up duties (The king abdicated his throne)
Abridge - ANSWER✔✔-Shorten (My teacher had us read the abridged version of the
book because it was so long)
Abet - ANSWER✔✔-Help someone in wrongdoing (She abetted the thief in his
getaway)
Affable - ANSWER✔✔-Friendly (My affable neighbor made us brownies when we
moved in next door)
Ambigous - ANSWER✔✔-Confusing (My teacher's directions for the project were
ambiguous, so I asked for clarification)
,Amiable - ANSWER✔✔-Friendly (My affable neighbor made us brownies when we
moved in next door)
Bane - ANSWER✔✔-Cause of distress/Bad thing (Distraction is the bane of
productivity)
Belie - ANSWER✔✔-Misleading (Their actions belie their claim to be innocent)
Belligerent - ANSWER✔✔-Agressive (The belligerent man swung his fist)
Benign - ANSWER✔✔-Harmless (Thankfully, the tumor was benign)
Bestow - ANSWER✔✔-Grant upon (I want to bestow upon you a gift)
Boisterous - ANSWER✔✔-Lively (A boisterous crowd attended the concert)
Blatant - ANSWER✔✔-Offensive, forward (Her blatant disregard for following
directions really annoyed me)
Brevity - ANSWER✔✔-Brief (I like the brevity of this definition)
Bungle - ANSWER✔✔-Mess up (I bungled the job given to me)
Burgeon - ANSWER✔✔-Grow/blossom (Her burgeoning career made her hopeful that
she would one day own the mansion down the street)
Bolster - ANSWER✔✔-Strengthen (I want to bolster my career)
Bedevil - ANSWER✔✔-Harass (Please do not bedevil me with constant practical jokes)
, Berate - ANSWER✔✔-Scold (My mother berated me for not making the bed)
Candid - ANSWER✔✔-Honest/upfront opinion (I'd like to be candid with you about
the way you treated me yesterday)
Commend - ANSWER✔✔-Praise (I'd like to commend everyone for their efforts during
this troublesome time)
Concede - ANSWER✔✔-Acknowledge/Admit (I had to concede that I had overreacted)
Contempt - ANSWER✔✔-Disrespect (He showed his contempt for his job by doing it
very badly)
Contrite - ANSWER✔✔-Regretful (Being contrite will not help you escape prison)
Callous - ANSWER✔✔-Insensitive (His callous refusal to help the poor was shocking to
us all)
Capitulate - ANSWER✔✔-Surrender/give up (The country refused to capitulate)
Capricious - ANSWER✔✔-Changes frequently (I was at the mercy of a capricious
manager)
Chagrin - ANSWER✔✔-Embarrassment (Jeff, much to his chagrin, wasn't invited)
Chicanery - ANSWER✔✔-Trickery (The candidate won the election through chicanery)
Complacent - ANSWER✔✔-Satisfied; not wanting to change (You should not be
complacent about security)
