Cryptic crossword clue
Fellow going off Gently Tender at first? Very much so 6

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word SORELY

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
O
R
E
L
Y

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Very much so" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case very much so = sorely.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does SORELY mean?

SORELY adverb
  1. In a sore or desperate manner.

Latest crossword clues with full explanations