In this antonym question, choose the word that is opposite in meaning to the noun "VIRTUE".

Introduction / Context:
Antonym questions require you to know not only the meaning of a word but also its direct opposite. The word virtue is widely used in moral, religious, and philosophical discussions to refer to good qualities in a person, such as honesty, kindness, and integrity. To answer correctly, you must choose the term that represents the opposite concept in moral evaluation.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The target word is VIRTUE.
• The options are WILES, CURSE, VICE, CUNNING.
• Virtue refers to moral goodness or admirable quality.
• The question belongs to the vocabulary section in general English for competitive exams.

Concept / Approach:
Virtue means moral excellence or a good moral quality. The standard opposite of virtue in moral philosophy and common speech is vice, which describes immoral or wicked behaviour, such as dishonesty or addiction. This pair of words often appears together in phrases like virtues and vices. The other options describe tricks, misfortunes, or cleverness and do not function as direct antonyms to virtue in the same clear way.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Restate the meaning of virtue as moral goodness, righteousness, or a positive quality of character.Step 2: Ask what word in moral vocabulary is typically contrasted with virtue.Step 3: Recall that vice is the traditional opposite, referring to moral weakness, bad habits, or immoral conduct.Step 4: Examine wiles, which means tricks or clever schemes, often used for deception, but not the general opposite of moral goodness.Step 5: Evaluate curse, which refers to a negative spell or serious misfortune, not the opposite of a person's good moral quality.Step 6: Consider cunning, which means cleverness in a possibly deceitful way, again not the standard direct antonym of virtue.

Verification / Alternative Check:
Think of common expressions such as a person of great virtues and few vices or the struggle between virtue and vice. In each case, vice is placed directly opposite virtue. If you try replacing vice with wiles, curse, or cunning, the phrases lose their standard meaning and no longer sound idiomatic. This fixed pairing in both literature and everyday speech confirms that vice is the correct antonym.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Wiles refers to tricks or artful strategies to deceive someone, which is a specific kind of behaviour, not the general opposite of moral excellence. Curse is about misfortune or a spoken wish for harm, which is unrelated to a person's virtues. Cunning denotes cleverness, often in a negative or manipulative sense, but it can sometimes be neutral or even admired and is not always immoral. None of these words stands in clear and direct opposition to virtue the way vice does.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may mistakenly choose words that are simply negative, assuming that any negative word will serve as an antonym for virtue. However, antonyms must be conceptually opposite in the same semantic field. Virtue and vice both belong to the field of moral character and behaviour, which makes them true opposites. Remembering key word pairs such as success and failure, hope and despair, virtue and vice can help you instantly recognise correct antonyms in exam conditions.

Final Answer:
The correct antonym of VIRTUE is VICE.