Rosa by Any Other Name: Chapters 28–44

by Hailey Alcaraz
This Romeo and Juliet-inspired historical novel tells the story of Rosa, a Mexican-American girl who is passing as white at her high school until a tragedy forces her to choose between her community and her future.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Prologue–Chapter 12, Chapters 13–27, Chapters 28–44, Chapters 45–60, Chapters 61–75
15 words 10 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. appraise
    consider in a comprehensive way
    Callihan appraised her, gently sweeping a flyaway tendril of Julianne’s flaxen hair so her shoulder-length curls, rolled under in a sleek curve, were absolutely flawless.
  2. reprimand
    censure severely or angrily
    Maybe it was Nina or Mrs. Callihan, consoling Julianne and reprimanding her for this doomed plot of ours?
  3. deference
    a courteous expression of esteem or regard
    I didn’t have the energy for the courtesy or deference I’d normally show to police officers.
  4. brusque
    rudely abrupt or blunt in speech or manner
    He offered to escort us all the way up to the sheriff’s offices, but I guess I wasn’t the only one who suspected that this gesture was more an act of investigation rather than courtesy because Papi assured him we’d be fine without him in a tone I found impressively brusque.
  5. curtly
    in an abrupt and discourteous manner
    “Thank you for coming,” he said curtly.
  6. pallid
    pale, as of a person's complexion
    He ran his hand along his jaw, tugging at the pallid, unshaved skin.
  7. acquiescence
    acceptance without protest
    His eyes flashed as he tipped his head in a gesture that was somewhere between acquiescence and affront.
  8. epitome
    a standard or typical example
    Pearl earrings studded her earlobes. The top of her collar and cardigan peeked out at the bottom of the picture. The very epitome of an all-American teenager.
  9. respite
    an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
    I needed silence. Peace. A respite.
  10. fitful
    intermittently stopping and starting
    And yet weariness took hold of my body, a bone-deep exhaustion that was about more than the fitful, nightmare-ridden sleep I’d gotten last night.
  11. discerning
    quick to understand
    I shrugged, avoiding her discerning gaze.
  12. interrogation
    formal systematic questioning
    It was an interrogation about the murder of two teenagers, and yet it hadn’t felt that way at all.
  13. bravado
    a swaggering show of courage
    I could feel my resolve withering away inside of me, my fear chipping away at my bravado as I thought of the disparaging conversations at the police department.
  14. disparaging
    expressive of low opinion
    I could feel my resolve withering away inside of me, my fear chipping away at my bravado as I thought of the disparaging conversations at the police department.
  15. bracero
    a Mexican laborer working in the U.S. for a limited time
    “Was he a bracero? Was he here legally?”
Created on Wed Aug 12 08:40:23 EDT 2026 (updated Tue Sep 01 14:56:08 EDT 2026)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.