Society raises crook to be cheekier (7)

I believe the answer is:

sassier

'cheekier' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'society raises crook' is the wordplay.
'society' becomes 's' (common abbreviation in names of organisations).
'crook' is an anagram indicator (a crooked or broken form of the letters).
'raises' anagrammed gives 'assier'.
's'+'assier'='SASSIER'

'to be' is the link.

(Another definition for sassier that I've seen is " More impudent".)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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