trail off
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: trail away
Meaning · English
Of a phenomenon, voice, etc.: to slowly diminish in frequency, intensity, or volume; also, to diminish more quickly over time.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
dần dần giảm đi tần số, cường độ hoặc âm lượng
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
“So that’s why I’m, uh, refusing … uh, to do that …” He trailed off as he saw Mr. Winchester’s disapproving stare.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “trail off” mean?
Of a phenomenon, voice, etc.: to slowly diminish in frequency, intensity, or volume; also, to diminish more quickly over time.
Is “trail off” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.