Clingy female's gripped by a depression (8)
I believe the answer is:
adherent
'clingy' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
'female's gripped by a depression' is the wordplay.
'female' becomes 'her' (I've seen this in another clue).
'gripped by' indicates putting letters inside.
'depression' becomes 'dent' (dent is a kind of depression).
'a'+'dent'='adent'
'her' inserted into 'adent' is 'ADHERENT'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for adherent that I've seen before include "Disciple, follower" , "Follower, partisan" , "Weep" , "Staunch follower" , "advocate" .)