Cheek turned by stern religious adherent (7)
I believe the answer is:
pilgrim
'religious adherent' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'cheek turned by stern' is the wordplay.
'cheek' becomes 'lip' (both can mean insolence or rudeness).
'turned' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'by' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'stern' becomes 'grim' (synonyms).
'lip' backwards is 'pil'.
'pil'+'grim'='PILGRIM'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for pilgrim that I've seen before include "Traveller to a holy place" , "Visitor to shrine" , "One progressive type" , "One travelling to a sacred place" , "One of those who sailed to New England in the Mayflower, 1620" .)