The conversation soon trailed off, but he had relaxed a bit.

What does trail off mean here?

Question

The conversation soon trailed off, but he had relaxed a bit.

What does trail off mean here?

Answer

It's the opposite of saying it ended suddenly. It gradually wound down.

Answer

It means to become fainter, quieter or weaker.

Answer

To repeat:  the easiest way to define it is as the opposite of ending abruptly. The silences started to become longer and longer. Oxford defines "wind down" as "gradually come to a close."