Verbs - ISEE Lower Level Verbal Reasoning

A police officer is tasked with making sure that the population respects and follows the law. The correct answer is therefore "enforce" which means to ensure obedience to, to make people follow, respect, and listen to a rule. Additionally, "amend" means edit something by adding to it; "create" means make, come up with; "salvage" means save from ruin; "manipulate" means change or influence to suit one's own desires.

The speaker of this sentence is talking about a time they were out at sea in bad weather. In such conditions it makes sense that a person would have to hold on tight, grasp, grip something to prevent from being swept away by the waves. So, the correct answer is "clench" which means to hold tightly. Additionally, "divert" means to cause something or someone to change direction; "sprint" means run fast; "inspire" means motivate, cause someone to want to do something; "trick" means lie to, mislead, fool, cheat.

The speaker notes that the subject made a very reasonable and convincing argument that caused the speaker to go with him. The correct answer must therefore mean convince, so the correct answer is "persuade." Persuade" means to convince, to make someone agree with you using a good argument. Additionally, "confess" means admit to a wrongdoing; "disarm" means make safe, take weapons away from; "zoom" means to magnify or minimize, to move a lens closer or further away, "zoom" can also means to move very fast; "fret" means worry about.

In this sentence the subject is a skydiver who has just jumped out of a plane it therefore makes sense that he/she would be falling rapidly to the ground. So, the correct answer is "plummeted." Additionally, "raised" means lifted, elevated; "razed" means destroyed, demolished, torn down; "faded" means has become weaker, dwindled, died down; "implored" means begged, urged, pleaded with someone to do something.

The storm clouds forced the hikers to turn back which means they must have been worried about the coming storm and felt threatened. The verb "loom" means come into view, appear as a large and threatening force. So, the storm clouds "loomed" over the hikers. Additionally, "jostled" means bumped into (usually in a crowd ); "preserved" means maintained, saved for the future; "concentrated" means focused, thought deeply about; "peeped" means looked at quickly.

This sentence is about the hard work undertaken by farm workers during the summer harvest. The correct answer must therefore be a verb that describes working hard. So, the correct answer is "toiled." To "toil" means to work hard and tirelessly. Additionally, to "tumble" means to fall; to "repair" means to fix, to make work again; "repose" means rest; to "multiply" means to increase in number.

Based on the context of this sentence the correct answer must mean something like money given to someone to make up for some injustice they suffered. The correct answer is therefore "compensate." Other synonyms for "compensate" include "repay," "pay back," and "reimburse." Additionally, "rejoice" means celebrate, express joy about; "scold" means yell at, punish, or it can also mean burn, burn with hot water; "analyze" means think deeply and critically about, examine; "disassociate" means disconnect, detach from, to no longer be associated with.

Based on the context of this sentence you are looking for a verb that could be used to describe the movement of a snake. The correct answer then is "slithered." To "slither" means to move smoothly over the surface, to move like a snake. Additionally, to "hover" means to fly just above the surface of the ground, to float above the ground; to "leap" means to jump high or far; to "suffer" means to feel pain; to "mend" means to fix, to make better.

Based on the context and structure of this sentence you are looking for a verb that means to transport people across water. The correct answer is therefore "ferry." When used as a noun "ferry" can also mean the name of a boat that transports people or goods across water. Additionally, "educate" means teach; "consume" means eat, use completely; "detect" means notice, observe, find; "articulate" means express, give voice to, speak clearly.

If the man wants to spend more time with his family it makes logical sense that he would give up, renounce claims to his position within the company. So, the correct answer is "relinquish." To "relinquish" means to give up a claim to, to give up, to renounce. Additionally, "hailed" can mean rain or fall from the sky when used as a verb or praised, applauded when used as an adjective; "scattered" means spread out; "scrubbed" means cleaned, polished; "absolved" means forgiven, declared someone free from responsibility or guilt.

To solve this problem you need to determine which of these answer choices is a verb that means to emerge from an egg, to come out of an egg. The correct answer is therefore "hatch." Additionally, "liken" means compare to; "pry" means inquire closely into another person's life, to be nosy and spy; "radiate" means give off, emit, send out; "march" means walk in an organized manner.

In this sentence the subject is "clutching" (holding tightly) her stomach and doing something in pain. Logically it makes sense that the verb you are looking for means something like squirming, thrashing, twisting and turning. So, the correct answer is "writhing." To be "writhing in pain" means to be in so much pain that you are twisting and turning your body to try and relieve some of the pain. Additionally, to "abdicate" means to give up a position of authority; to "jeer" means to mock, to boo; to "quarrel" means to argue, to fight; to "quash" means to eliminate, to cancel, to overrule.

The subject of this sentence is unsure how money she has so it makes sense that she would have to guess. So, the correct answer is "estimate" which means guess, roughly calculate. Additionally, "displace" means unsettle, force to move; "abandon" means leave behind, forsake; to "propel" something means to cause something to move forward, to push; "misinform" means lie to, tell incorrect information to.

In this sentence the two boys leapt into the sea. To jump or dive into something quickly, excitedly or forcefully is to "plunge." Additionally, to "tremble" means to shake with fear; "hobbled" means limp, walk uncomfortable due to injury; to "whimper" means to moan, cry, complain quietly; to "boast" means to talk arrogantly about one's accomplishments or positive traits.

If the smaller country was trying to prevent war with the larger country it makes sense that they would give up territory to the larger country. The correct answer is therefore "cede." To "cede" means to surrender, to give up (power or territory). Additionally, "derail" means cause to go off path; "command" means order, tell someone to do something; "drain" means empty, weaken, take the water out of; "guarantee" means ensure that something will happen, make a promise that something will happen.

Based on the context of this sentence you are looking for a verb that means to mix two or more things together, to join two thing or more things together. The correct answer is therefore "fused." Additionally, to "coddle" means to treat like a baby, to treat in an overly protective manner; to "accuse" means to say someone did something wrong or committed a crime; to "halt" means to stop, to pause; to "provoke" means to cause an argument, to start a fight.

If the speaker was "abroad" (in a foreign country) and was using a translator it makes sense that they would need things explained to them. To "interpret" means to explain the meaning of words or information. Additionally, "ponder" means think carefully about; "deliberate" is a synonym of "ponder," it also means to think carefully about for a long time; "debilitate" means weaken; "offend" means insult.

To solve this problem you are looking for a verb that describes how blood might come out of a body. The correct answer is "oozed." To "ooze" means (of a fluid) to slowly trickle out of something, to come out of something. Additionally, "wept" means cried about, sobbed; "nurtured" means cared for, raised (as in a child); "mingled" means mixed with; "hastened" means hurried.

The subject of this sentence left his bag alone at the airport and then the airport security did something to him. Based on this information you can reasonably infer that the correct answer must mean something like held by the authorities. The correct answer is therefore "detained." "Detained" means held by the authorities against one's will, imprisoned, taken into custody. Additionally, to "maim" means to injure, to wound, to deform; "fostered" means encouraged, promoted, helped the development of; "hoisted" means lifted up above one's head; "inspired" means motivated, to have caused someone to want to do something.