Choose the correct ANTONYM of the underlined word:

The Minister unleashed a compliment against the newspaper for its biased editorial on illiteracy among women in his constituency.

denunciation

The correct answer is Option (1) - denunciation

Explanation:

• "Compliment" in this context means to praise or express admiration for something. The opposite or antonym of "compliment" would be a word that implies criticism or disapproval.
• "Denunciation" means to publicly declare something to be wrong or evil, often with strong condemnation. This is a strong condemnation, which is the opposite of a compliment.
• "Endorsement" means to express approval or support for something. It has a similar meaning to "compliment" in terms of expressing positive sentiment, so it is not the antonym in this context.
• "Regulation" refers to a rule or directive designed to control or govern behavior. It is not directly related to expressing praise or criticism, so it is not the antonym in this context.
• "Speculation" refers to the forming of a theory or conjecture without firm evidence. It is not directly related to expressing praise or criticism, so it is not the antonym in this context.