Rose can be very tender (4)
I believe the answer is:
sore
'tender' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'rose can be' is the wordplay.
'can be' indicates anagramming the letters.
'rose' with letters rearranged gives 'SORE'.
'very' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for sore that I've seen before include "very much" , "buck" , "Irritated or painful" , "To be very old" , "Feeling pain or informally angry" .)