Cryptic crossword clue
Horrible death not exactly cherished 5

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word HATED

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
H
A
T
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D

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The straight part
We know that "not exactly cherished" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case not exactly cherished = hated.
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 HATED mean?

HATED verb
  1. To dislike intensely or greatly.
  2. To experience hatred.
HATED adjective
  1. Disliked; odious; reviled.

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