diff --git a/docs/reference.md b/docs/reference.md
index a9fed8f24..13e1625db 100644
--- a/docs/reference.md
+++ b/docs/reference.md
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ Configuration is read from the following (in precedence order)
 
 | Field                  | Argument          | Format | Description |
 |------------------------|-------------------|--------|-------------|
+| files.binary           | --binary          | bool   | Check binary files as text |
+| files.extend-exclude   | --exclude         | list of strings | Typos-specific ignore globs (gitignore syntax) |
 | files.ignore-hidden    | --hidden          | bool   | Skip hidden files and directories. |
 | files.ignore-files     | --ignore          | bool   | Respect ignore files. |
 | files.ignore-dot       | --ignore-dot      | bool   | Respect .ignore files. |
diff --git a/src/bin/typos-cli/args.rs b/src/bin/typos-cli/args.rs
index 5f170d9bc..7941c802c 100644
--- a/src/bin/typos-cli/args.rs
+++ b/src/bin/typos-cli/args.rs
@@ -200,6 +200,10 @@ impl ConfigArgs {
 #[derive(Debug, StructOpt)]
 #[structopt(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
 pub(crate) struct WalkArgs {
+    #[structopt(long)]
+    /// Ignore all files & directories matching the pattern.
+    exclude: Vec<String>,
+
     #[structopt(long, overrides_with("no-hidden"))]
     /// Search hidden files and directories.
     hidden: bool,
@@ -240,6 +244,7 @@ pub(crate) struct WalkArgs {
 impl WalkArgs {
     pub fn to_config(&self) -> config::Walk {
         config::Walk {
+            extend_exclude: self.exclude.clone(),
             ignore_hidden: self.ignore_hidden(),
             ignore_files: self.ignore_files(),
             ignore_dot: self.ignore_dot(),
diff --git a/src/bin/typos-cli/main.rs b/src/bin/typos-cli/main.rs
index 78d816336..d9dc6674e 100644
--- a/src/bin/typos-cli/main.rs
+++ b/src/bin/typos-cli/main.rs
@@ -196,6 +196,16 @@ fn run_checks(
             .git_ignore(walk_policy.ignore_vcs())
             .git_exclude(walk_policy.ignore_vcs())
             .parents(walk_policy.ignore_parent());
+        if !walk_policy.extend_exclude.is_empty() {
+            let mut overrides = ignore::overrides::OverrideBuilder::new(".");
+            for pattern in walk_policy.extend_exclude.iter() {
+                overrides
+                    .add(&format!("!{}", pattern))
+                    .with_code(proc_exit::Code::CONFIG_ERR)?;
+            }
+            let overrides = overrides.build().with_code(proc_exit::Code::CONFIG_ERR)?;
+            walk.overrides(overrides);
+        }
 
         // HACK: Diff doesn't handle mixing content
         let output_reporter = if args.diff {
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 8a7453cb4..2290093ac 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ impl Config {
 #[serde(deny_unknown_fields, default)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
 pub struct Walk {
+    pub extend_exclude: Vec<String>,
     /// Skip hidden files and directories.
     pub ignore_hidden: Option<bool>,
     /// Respect ignore files.
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ impl Walk {
     pub fn from_defaults() -> Self {
         let empty = Self::default();
         Self {
+            extend_exclude: empty.extend_exclude.clone(),
             ignore_hidden: Some(empty.ignore_hidden()),
             ignore_files: Some(true),
             ignore_dot: Some(empty.ignore_dot()),
@@ -89,6 +91,8 @@ impl Walk {
     }
 
     pub fn update(&mut self, source: &Walk) {
+        self.extend_exclude
+            .extend(source.extend_exclude.iter().cloned());
         if let Some(source) = source.ignore_hidden {
             self.ignore_hidden = Some(source);
         }
@@ -114,6 +118,10 @@ impl Walk {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn extend_exclude(&self) -> &[String] {
+        &self.extend_exclude
+    }
+
     pub fn ignore_hidden(&self) -> bool {
         self.ignore_hidden.unwrap_or(true)
     }