1. groups of people hired to applaud at a performance
Usage: plural of claque

Examples

• The opera house was known for employing claques to ensure enthusiastic applause.
• Several claques competed to show support for different singers.
• The theater manager hired claques to boost the show’s reception.
• Critics complained that claques made it difficult to judge true audience reaction.
• Professional claques were common in 19th-century European theaters.
• The presence of claques became obvious when applause seemed forced.