The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word BRUTISH
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
B
R
U
T
I
S
H
More clues leading to the result BRUTISH
- Like savage animal, it goes back into thicket
- Cruel animal brush, it should be thrown out
- Stupid mistake about routine
- Uncivilised church leader out of work accepts boring routine
- Somewhat dry and lacking in sophistication?
- Crude wine on the dry side?
- Cruel to bring it back in touch
- Savage very dry? Just a bit
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Like savage animal" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case like savage animal = brutish.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 BRUTISH mean?
BRUTISH adjective- Of, or in the manner of a brute
- Bestial; lacking human sensibility