shadow of former self

a shadow of your former self

if you are a shadow of your former self, you are less strong or less powerful than you were in the past. He came back to work after 3 months, completely cured of the cancer but a shadow of his former self.

See also: shadow

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a shadow of your/its former self

a smaller, weaker, or less important form of someone or something. With most of its best players traded away, the team was reduced to a shadow of its former self.

See also: shadow