claqueur

/klæˈkɜr/
noun
  1. A person hired to applaud or praise a performer, speaker, or event, often to create a false impression of popularity or approval.
    • The singer's manager paid a claqueur to start a standing ovation at the concert.
    • During the political rally, a claqueur in the front row cheered enthusiastically to encourage others to join in.
    • The theater hired a claqueur to clap loudly after every scene to make the play seem more successful.
  2. A person who flatters or supports someone insincerely, often for personal gain.
    • The CEO surrounded himself with claqueurs who always agreed with his ideas, never offering honest feedback.
    • She saw through the claqueur's praise and realized he was only trying to get a promotion.
    • In the online forum, a claqueur defended the controversial product in every comment thread, but later it was revealed he worked for the company.
Antonyms
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