diff --git a/src/main/docs/ant-task.html b/src/main/docs/ant-task.html
index 7aa7496f..58ac7012 100644
--- a/src/main/docs/ant-task.html
+++ b/src/main/docs/ant-task.html
@@ -139,7 +139,8 @@ <h2>Parameters</h2>
   <code>RetentionPolicy#CLASS</code>. It can be applied to classes, their methods,
   or fields. By default, <code>@de.thetaphi.forbiddenapis.SuppressForbidden</code>
   can always be used, but needs the <code>forbidden-apis.jar</code> file in classpath
-  of compiled project, which may not be wanted.</td>
+  of compiled project, which may not be wanted. Instead of a full class name, a glob
+  pattern may be used (e.g., <code>**.SuppressForbidden</code>).</td>
 </tr>
 
 </table>
@@ -164,7 +165,8 @@ <h2>Parameters specified as nested elements</h2>
 <p>You can include multiple <code>&lt;suppressAnnotation classname=&quot;...&quot;&gt;</code> elements to specify class names of custom Java annotations that are used in the checked
 code to suppress errors. Those annotations must have at least
 <code>RetentionPolicy#CLASS</code>. They can be applied to classes, their methods, or fields. By default, <code>@de.thetaphi.forbiddenapis.SuppressForbidden</code>
-can always be used, but needs the <code>forbidden-apis.jar</code> file in classpath of compiled project, which may not be wanted.</p>
+can always be used, but needs the <code>forbidden-apis.jar</code> file in classpath of compiled project, which may not be wanted. Instead of a full class name, a glob
+  pattern may be used (e.g., <code>**.SuppressForbidden</code>).</p>
 
 </body>
 </html>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/AbstractCheckMojo.java b/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/AbstractCheckMojo.java
index 0994a0e7..4db2b566 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/AbstractCheckMojo.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/AbstractCheckMojo.java
@@ -132,6 +132,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractCheckMojo extends AbstractMojo {
    * or fields. By default, {@code @de.thetaphi.forbiddenapis.SuppressForbidden}
    * can always be used, but needs the {@code forbidden-apis.jar} file in classpath
    * of compiled project, which may not be wanted.
+   * Instead of a full class name, a glob pattern may be used (e.g.,
+   * {@code **.SuppressForbidden}).
    * @since 1.8
    */
   @Parameter(required = false)
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/AsmUtils.java b/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/AsmUtils.java
index 6ae68f87..0e2fea2f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/AsmUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/AsmUtils.java
@@ -59,35 +59,42 @@ public static boolean isGlob(String s) {
     return s.indexOf('*') >= 0 || s.indexOf('?') >= 0;
   }
   
-  /** Returns a regex pattern that matches the glob on class names (e.g., "sun.misc.**") */
-  public static Pattern glob2Pattern(String glob) {
+  /** Returns a regex pattern that matches on any of the globs on class names (e.g., "sun.misc.**") */
+  public static Pattern glob2Pattern(String... globs) {
     final StringBuilder regex = new StringBuilder();
-    int i = 0, len = glob.length();
-    while (i < len) {
-      char c = glob.charAt(i++);
-      switch (c) {
-        case '*':
-          if (i < len && glob.charAt(i) == '*') {
-            // crosses package boundaries
-            regex.append(".*");
-            i++;
-          } else {
+    boolean needOr = false;
+    for (String glob : globs) {
+      if (needOr) {
+        regex.append('|');
+      }
+      int i = 0, len = glob.length();
+      while (i < len) {
+        char c = glob.charAt(i++);
+        switch (c) {
+          case '*':
+            if (i < len && glob.charAt(i) == '*') {
+              // crosses package boundaries
+              regex.append(".*");
+              i++;
+            } else {
+              // do not cross package boundaries
+              regex.append("[^.]*");
+            }
+            break;
+            
+          case '?':
             // do not cross package boundaries
-            regex.append("[^.]*");
-          }
-          break;
+            regex.append("[^.]");
+            break;
           
-        case '?':
-          // do not cross package boundaries
-          regex.append("[^.]");
-          break;
-        
-        default:
-          if (isRegexMeta(c)) {
-            regex.append('\\');
-          }
-          regex.append(c);
+          default:
+            if (isRegexMeta(c)) {
+              regex.append('\\');
+            }
+            regex.append(c);
+        }
       }
+      needOr = true;
     }
     return Pattern.compile(regex.toString(), 0);
   }
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/Checker.java b/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/Checker.java
index 86a26994..234feab6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/Checker.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/Checker.java
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashMap;
-import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.LinkedHashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Locale;
@@ -81,7 +80,7 @@ public abstract class Checker implements RelatedClassLookup {
   // key is pattern to binary class name:
   final Set<ClassPatternRule> forbiddenClassPatterns = new LinkedHashSet<ClassPatternRule>();
   // descriptors (not internal names) of all annotations that suppress:
-  final Set<String> suppressAnnotations = new HashSet<String>();
+  final Set<String> suppressAnnotations = new LinkedHashSet<String>();
     
   protected abstract void logError(String msg);
   protected abstract void logWarn(String msg);
@@ -402,22 +401,18 @@ public final boolean hasNoSignatures() {
   
   /** Adds the given annotation class for suppressing errors. */
   public final void addSuppressAnnotation(Class<? extends Annotation> anno) {
-    suppressAnnotations.add(Type.getDescriptor(anno));
+    suppressAnnotations.add(anno.getName());
   }
   
-  /** Adds suppressing annotation name in binary form (dotted). The class name is not checked for existence. */
+  /** Adds suppressing annotation name in binary form (dotted). It may also be a glob pattern. The class name is not checked for existence. */
   public final void addSuppressAnnotation(String annoName) {
-    final Type type = Type.getObjectType(AsmUtils.binaryToInternal(annoName));
-    if (type.getSort() != Type.OBJECT) {
-      throw new IllegalArgumentException("Descriptor is not of OBJECT sort: " + type.getDescriptor());
-    }
-    suppressAnnotations.add(type.getDescriptor());
+    suppressAnnotations.add(annoName);
   }
   
   /** Parses a class and checks for valid method invocations */
-  private int checkClass(final ClassReader reader) {
+  private int checkClass(final ClassReader reader, Pattern suppressAnnotationsPattern) {
     final String className = Type.getObjectType(reader.getClassName()).getClassName();
-    final ClassScanner scanner = new ClassScanner(this, forbiddenClasses, forbiddenClassPatterns, forbiddenMethods, forbiddenFields, suppressAnnotations, internalRuntimeForbidden); 
+    final ClassScanner scanner = new ClassScanner(this, forbiddenClasses, forbiddenClassPatterns, forbiddenMethods, forbiddenFields, suppressAnnotationsPattern, internalRuntimeForbidden); 
     reader.accept(scanner, ClassReader.SKIP_FRAMES);
     final List<ForbiddenViolation> violations = scanner.getSortedViolations();
     final Pattern splitter = Pattern.compile(Pattern.quote("\n"));
@@ -431,9 +426,10 @@ private int checkClass(final ClassReader reader) {
   
   public final void run() throws ForbiddenApiException {
     int errors = 0;
+    final Pattern suppressAnnotationsPattern = AsmUtils.glob2Pattern(suppressAnnotations.toArray(new String[suppressAnnotations.size()]));
     try {
       for (final ClassSignature c : classesToCheck.values()) {
-        errors += checkClass(c.getReader());
+        errors += checkClass(c.getReader(), suppressAnnotationsPattern);
       }
     } catch (WrapperRuntimeException wre) {
       Throwable cause = wre.getCause();
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/ClassScanner.java b/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/ClassScanner.java
index 595e2cdc..74d603e8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/ClassScanner.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/ClassScanner.java
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
 import org.objectweb.asm.AnnotationVisitor;
 import org.objectweb.asm.ClassVisitor;
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ final class ClassScanner extends ClassVisitor {
   final Map<String,String> forbiddenClasses;
   // key is pattern to binary class name:
   final Iterable<ClassPatternRule> forbiddenClassPatterns;
-  // descriptors (not internal names) of all annotations that suppress:
-  final Set<String> suppressAnnotations;
+  // pattern that matches binary (dotted) class name of all annotations that suppress:
+  final Pattern suppressAnnotations;
   
   private String source = null;
   private boolean isDeprecated = false;
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ final class ClassScanner extends ClassVisitor {
   public ClassScanner(RelatedClassLookup lookup,
       final Map<String,String> forbiddenClasses, final Iterable<ClassPatternRule> forbiddenClassPatterns,
       final Map<String,String> forbiddenMethods, final Map<String,String> forbiddenFields,
-      final Set<String> suppressAnnotations,
+      final Pattern suppressAnnotations,
       final boolean internalRuntimeForbidden) {
     super(Opcodes.ASM5);
     this.lookup = lookup;
@@ -215,19 +215,18 @@ String checkDescriptor(String desc) {
     return checkType(Type.getType(desc));
   }
   
-  String checkAnnotationDescriptor(String desc, boolean visible) {
-    final Type type = Type.getType(desc);
+  String checkAnnotationDescriptor(Type type, boolean visible) {
     if (type.getSort() != Type.OBJECT) {
       // should never happen for annotations!
-      throw new IllegalArgumentException("Annotation descriptor '" + desc + "' has wrong sort: " + type.getSort());
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException("Annotation descriptor '" + type.getDescriptor() + "' has wrong sort: " + type.getSort());
     }
     // for annotations, we don't need to look into super-classes, interfaces,...
     // -> we just check if its disallowed or internal runtime (only if visible)!
     return checkClassUse(type, "annotation", visible);
   }
   
-  void maybeSuppressCurrentGroup(String annotationDesc) {
-    if (suppressAnnotations.contains(annotationDesc)) {
+  void maybeSuppressCurrentGroup(Type annotation) {
+    if (suppressAnnotations.matcher(annotation.getClassName()).matches()) {
       suppressedGroups.set(currentGroupId);
     }
   }
@@ -244,7 +243,7 @@ public void visit(int version, int access, String name, String signature, String
     this.isDeprecated = (access & Opcodes.ACC_DEPRECATED) != 0;
     reportClassViolation(checkClassDefinition(superName, interfaces), "class declaration");
     if (this.isDeprecated) {
-      classSuppressed |= suppressAnnotations.contains(DEPRECATED_DESCRIPTOR);
+      classSuppressed |= suppressAnnotations.matcher(DEPRECATED_TYPE.getClassName()).matches();
       reportClassViolation(checkType(DEPRECATED_TYPE), "deprecation on class declaration");
     }
   }
@@ -260,14 +259,15 @@ public AnnotationVisitor visitAnnotation(String desc, boolean visible) {
       // don't report 2 times!
       return null;
     }
-    classSuppressed |= suppressAnnotations.contains(desc);
-    reportClassViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(desc, visible), "annotation on class declaration");
+    final Type type = Type.getType(desc);
+    classSuppressed |= suppressAnnotations.matcher(type.getClassName()).matches();
+    reportClassViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(type, visible), "annotation on class declaration");
     return null;
   }
   
   @Override
   public AnnotationVisitor visitTypeAnnotation(int typeRef, TypePath typePath, String desc, boolean visible) {
-    reportClassViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(desc, visible), "type annotation on class declaration");
+    reportClassViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(Type.getType(desc), visible), "type annotation on class declaration");
     return null;
   }
   
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ public FieldVisitor visitField(final int access, final String name, final String
           reportFieldViolation(checkDescriptor(desc), "field declaration");
         }
         if (this.isDeprecated) {
-          maybeSuppressCurrentGroup(DEPRECATED_DESCRIPTOR);
+          maybeSuppressCurrentGroup(DEPRECATED_TYPE);
           reportFieldViolation(checkType(DEPRECATED_TYPE), "deprecation on field declaration");
         }
       }
@@ -296,14 +296,15 @@ public AnnotationVisitor visitAnnotation(String desc, boolean visible) {
           // don't report 2 times!
           return null;
         }
-        maybeSuppressCurrentGroup(desc);
-        reportFieldViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(desc, visible), "annotation on field declaration");
+        final Type type = Type.getType(desc);
+        maybeSuppressCurrentGroup(type);
+        reportFieldViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(type, visible), "annotation on field declaration");
         return null;
       }
 
       @Override
       public AnnotationVisitor visitTypeAnnotation(int typeRef, TypePath typePath, String desc, boolean visible) {
-        reportFieldViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(desc, visible), "type annotation on field declaration");
+        reportFieldViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(Type.getType(desc), visible), "type annotation on field declaration");
         return null;
       }
       
@@ -332,7 +333,7 @@ public MethodVisitor visitMethod(final int access, final String name, final Stri
           reportMethodViolation(checkDescriptor(desc), "method declaration");
         }
         if (this.isDeprecated) {
-          maybeSuppressCurrentGroup(DEPRECATED_DESCRIPTOR);
+          maybeSuppressCurrentGroup(DEPRECATED_TYPE);
           reportMethodViolation(checkType(DEPRECATED_TYPE), "deprecation on method declaration");
         }
       }
@@ -428,38 +429,39 @@ public AnnotationVisitor visitAnnotation(String desc, boolean visible) {
           // don't report 2 times!
           return null;
         }
-        maybeSuppressCurrentGroup(desc);
-        reportMethodViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(desc, visible), "annotation on method declaration");
+        final Type type = Type.getType(desc);
+        maybeSuppressCurrentGroup(type);
+        reportMethodViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(type, visible), "annotation on method declaration");
         return null;
       }
 
       @Override
       public AnnotationVisitor visitParameterAnnotation(int parameter, String desc, boolean visible) {
-        reportMethodViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(desc, visible), "parameter annotation on method declaration");
+        reportMethodViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(Type.getType(desc), visible), "parameter annotation on method declaration");
         return null;
       }
 
       @Override
       public AnnotationVisitor visitTypeAnnotation(int typeRef, TypePath typePath, String desc, boolean visible) {
-        reportMethodViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(desc, visible), "type annotation on method declaration");
+        reportMethodViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(Type.getType(desc), visible), "type annotation on method declaration");
         return null;
       }
 
       @Override
       public AnnotationVisitor visitInsnAnnotation(int typeRef, TypePath typePath, String desc, boolean visible) {
-        reportMethodViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(desc, visible), "annotation in method body");
+        reportMethodViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(Type.getType(desc), visible), "annotation in method body");
         return null;
       }
 
       @Override
       public AnnotationVisitor visitLocalVariableAnnotation(int typeRef, TypePath typePath, Label[] start, Label[] end, int[] index, String desc, boolean visible) {
-        reportMethodViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(desc, visible), "annotation in method body");
+        reportMethodViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(Type.getType(desc), visible), "annotation in method body");
         return null;
       }
       
       @Override
       public AnnotationVisitor visitTryCatchAnnotation(int typeRef, TypePath typePath, String desc, boolean visible) {
-        reportMethodViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(desc, visible), "annotation in method body");
+        reportMethodViolation(checkAnnotationDescriptor(Type.getType(desc), visible), "annotation in method body");
         return null;
       }
       
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/CliMain.java b/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/CliMain.java
index 579d26e9..3e516ef1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/CliMain.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/thetaphi/forbiddenapis/CliMain.java
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ public CliMain(String... args) throws ExitException {
         .withArgName("name")
         .create('b'));
     options.addOption(suppressannotationsOpt = OptionBuilder
-        .withDescription("class name of annotation that suppresses error reporting in classes/methods/fields (separated by commas or option can be given multiple times)")
+        .withDescription("class name or glob pattern of annotation that suppresses error reporting in classes/methods/fields (separated by commas or option can be given multiple times)")
         .withLongOpt("suppressannotation")
         .hasArgs()
         .withValueSeparator(',')
diff --git a/src/test/antunit/TestAnnotations.xml b/src/test/antunit/TestAnnotations.xml
index da85b5c4..4958eccd 100644
--- a/src/test/antunit/TestAnnotations.xml
+++ b/src/test/antunit/TestAnnotations.xml
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
   <target name="testSuppressAnnotationsJava8">
     <forbiddenapis failOnMissingClasses="true" classpath="${basedir}">
       <!-- this should disable whole class scanning: -->
-      <suppressAnnotation classname="Java8Annotations$FooBar"/>
+      <suppressAnnotation classname="*$FooBar"/>
       <!-- normally, this should produce similar errors like 'testAnnotations': -->
       <file file="Java8Annotations.class"/>
       Java8Annotations$ClassFileOnly @ Forbidden class-only annotation
diff --git a/src/test/antunit/TestCli.xml b/src/test/antunit/TestCli.xml
index 9eb1d322..26fb241f 100644
--- a/src/test/antunit/TestCli.xml
+++ b/src/test/antunit/TestCli.xml
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
       <arg value="--includes"/>
       <arg value="Java8Annotations.class"/>
       <arg value="--suppressannotation"/>
-      <arg value="Java8Annotations$FooBar"/>
+      <arg value="*$FooBar"/>
     </java>
     <au:assertLogContains text=" 0 error(s)."/> 
     <au:assertLogContains text="Reading bundled API signatures: jdk-system-out"/> 
diff --git a/src/test/antunit/pom-incex-suppress.xml b/src/test/antunit/pom-incex-suppress.xml
index eb8e0927..d2b0adb7 100644
--- a/src/test/antunit/pom-incex-suppress.xml
+++ b/src/test/antunit/pom-incex-suppress.xml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
           </excludes>
           <suppressAnnotations>
             <!-- this should suppress the whole tested class, so above signatures have no effect -->
-            <suppressAnnotation>Java8Annotations$FooBar</suppressAnnotation>
+            <suppressAnnotation>Java8Annotations$*</suppressAnnotation>
           </suppressAnnotations>
         </configuration>
         <executions>