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to stop; to cease; to come to an end; to cut off
戦後しばらくして手紙のやり取りが跡絶えた。
Correspondence ceased some time after the war.
連絡が跡絶えて、彼女の消息は不明だ。
Contact ceased, and her whereabouts are unknown.
二人の手紙のやり取りが跡絶えている。
The exchange of letters between the two has come to an end.