diff --git a/doc/whatsnew/2.6.rst b/doc/whatsnew/2.6.rst
index 5ab2028c163..1485229c614 100644
--- a/doc/whatsnew/2.6.rst
+++ b/doc/whatsnew/2.6.rst
@@ -23,3 +23,5 @@ Other Changes
 * The `no-space-check` option has been removed, it's no longer possible to consider empty line like a `trailing-whitespace` by using clever options.
 
 * `mixed-indentation` has been removed, it is no longer useful since TabError is included directly in python3
+
+* New option `allow-redefined-builtins` to configure variable names allowed to shadow builtins
diff --git a/pylint/checkers/variables.py b/pylint/checkers/variables.py
index 28dc2178f10..075ccd76896 100644
--- a/pylint/checkers/variables.py
+++ b/pylint/checkers/variables.py
@@ -674,6 +674,15 @@ class VariablesChecker(BaseChecker):
                 "help": "Tells whether unused global variables should be treated as a violation.",
             },
         ),
+        (
+            "allow-redefined-builtins",
+            {
+                "default": (),
+                "type": "csv",
+                "metavar": "<comma separated list>",
+                "help": "List of names allowed to shadow builtins",
+            },
+        ),
     )
 
     def __init__(self, linter=None):
@@ -848,8 +857,10 @@ def visit_functiondef(self, node):
                         "redefined-outer-name", args=(name, line), node=stmt
                     )
 
-            elif utils.is_builtin(name) and not self._should_ignore_redefined_builtin(
-                stmt
+            elif (
+                utils.is_builtin(name)
+                and not self._allowed_redefined_builtin(name)
+                and not self._should_ignore_redefined_builtin(stmt)
             ):
                 # do not print Redefining builtin for additional builtins
                 self.add_message("redefined-builtin", args=name, node=stmt)
@@ -1733,6 +1744,9 @@ def _should_ignore_redefined_builtin(self, stmt):
             return False
         return stmt.modname in self.config.redefining_builtins_modules
 
+    def _allowed_redefined_builtin(self, name):
+        return name in self.config.allow_redefined_builtins
+
     def _has_homonym_in_upper_function_scope(self, node, index):
         """
         Return True if there is a node with the same name in the to_consume dict of an upper scope
diff --git a/tests/functional/r/redefined_builtin_allowed.py b/tests/functional/r/redefined_builtin_allowed.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f52b281890c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional/r/redefined_builtin_allowed.py
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+"""Tests for redefining builtins."""
+
+def function():
+    """Allow some redefines."""
+    dir = "path"  # allowed in config
+    dict = "bad"  # [redefined-builtin]
+    print(dir, dict)
diff --git a/tests/functional/r/redefined_builtin_allowed.rc b/tests/functional/r/redefined_builtin_allowed.rc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1b7fe8d7ecb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional/r/redefined_builtin_allowed.rc
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[variables]
+allow-redefined-builtins = dir
diff --git a/tests/functional/r/redefined_builtin_allowed.txt b/tests/functional/r/redefined_builtin_allowed.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..699de6a8344
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional/r/redefined_builtin_allowed.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+redefined-builtin:6:function:Redefining built-in 'dict'