diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 035fc2d7..d9427d8b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -47,10 +47,11 @@ This name should be decided amongst the team before the release.
 ### Added
 - [#705](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/705) Added support for Nickel 1.7 extended pattern formatting
 - [#737](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/737) Added the `prefetch` command, that prefetches and caches all grammars in the current configuration
+- [#755](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/755) Introduce measuring scopes, which can be used in conjunction with regular scopes to add expressivity to the formatting queries.
 
 ### Fixed
 - [#720](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/720) [#722](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/722) [#723](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/723) [#724](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/724) [#735](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/735)
-[#738](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/738) [#739](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/739) [#745](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/745) Various OCaml improvements
+[#738](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/738) [#739](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/739) [#745](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/745) [#755](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/755) Various OCaml improvements
 - [#744](https://github.com/tweag/topiary/pull/744) Nickel: fix the indentation of `in` for annotated multiline let-bindings
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bb94e9cb..b0ddfb0d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1225,6 +1225,88 @@ containing the matched nodes are is single-line (resp. multi-line).
 )
 ```
 
+### `@prepend_begin_measuring_scope` / `@append_begin_measuring_scope` / `@prepend_end_measuring_scope` / `@append_end_measuring_scope`
+
+Sometimes, custom scopes are not enough: we may want to format a node depending on the multi-line-ness of a piece of code that does not include the node in question. For instance, consider this function application in OCaml:
+```ocaml
+foo bar (fun x -> qux)
+```
+We may also want to format it as any of the following two, depending on the actual length of `foo`, `bar`, and `qux`:
+```ocaml
+foo bar (fun x ->
+  qux
+)
+```
+```ocaml
+foo
+  bar
+  (fun x ->
+    qux
+  )
+```
+Consider the indentation of `(fun x -> qux)`: if `foo bar` is single-line, we don't want to indent it. But if `foo bar` is multi-line, we do want to indent it.
+
+Because custom scopes can only impact the behaviour of nodes inside the scope, we can't use them to solve this issue. This is why we need `measuring_scope`.
+
+Measuring scopes are opened/closed with a similar syntax as "regular" custom scopes, with any of the following tags, in conjunction with the `#scope_id!` predicate:
+
+* `@prepend_begin_measuring_scope`
+* `@append_begin_measuring_scope`
+* `@prepend_end_measuring_scope`
+* `@prepend_begin_measuring_scope`
+
+Measuring scopes behave as follows:
+* A measuring scope must always be contained in a regular custom scope with the same `#scope_id!`. There can't be two measuring scopes with the same `#scope_id!` inside the same regular custom scope.
+* If a regular custom scope contains a measuring scope, then all tags contained in the regular scope that depend on its multi-line-ness will instead depend on the multi-line-ness of the measuring scope (hence the name: the inner, measuring scope measures the multi-line-ness of the outer, regular scope).
+
+#### Example
+
+The example below solves the problem of indenting function application in OCaml stated above, using measuring scopes.
+```scheme
+(application_expression
+  .
+  (_) @append_indent_start @prepend_begin_scope @prepend_begin_measuring_scope
+  (#scope_id! "function_application")
+  (_) @append_end_scope
+  .
+)
+; The end of the measuring scope depends on the last argument: if it's a function,
+; end it before the function, otherwise end it after the last argument. In that case,
+; it's the same as the regular scope.
+(application_expression
+  (#scope_id! "function_application")
+  (_
+    [
+      (fun_expression)
+      (function_expression)
+    ]? @do_nothing
+  ) @append_end_measuring_scope
+  .
+)
+(application_expression
+  (#scope_id! "function_application")
+  (_
+    [
+      (fun_expression)
+      (function_expression)
+    ] @prepend_end_measuring_scope
+  )
+  .
+)
+; If the measuring scope is single-line, end indentation _before_ the last node.
+; Otherwise, end the indentation after the last node.
+(application_expression
+  (#multi_line_scope_only! "function_application")
+  (_) @append_indent_end
+  .
+)
+(application_expression
+  (#single_line_scope_only! "function_application")
+  (_) @prepend_indent_end
+  .
+)
+```
+
 ## Suggested workflow
 
 In order to work productively on query files, the following is one
diff --git a/topiary-cli/tests/samples/expected/ocaml.ml b/topiary-cli/tests/samples/expected/ocaml.ml
index cb1be63e..bc4fd90d 100644
--- a/topiary-cli/tests/samples/expected/ocaml.ml
+++ b/topiary-cli/tests/samples/expected/ocaml.ml
@@ -1187,8 +1187,8 @@ let () =
 
 let () =
   foo x (fun y ->
-      zzzzzzzzzz
-    )
+    zzzzzzzzzz
+  )
 
 let foo x = function
   | y -> zzzzzzzzzz
@@ -1206,9 +1206,9 @@ let () =
 
 let () =
   foo x (function
-      | y -> zzzzzzzzzz
-      | u -> vvvvvvvvv
-    )
+    | y -> zzzzzzzzzz
+    | u -> vvvvvvvvv
+  )
 
 (* #727 proper formatting of multi-lined typed function argument *)
 let foo
diff --git a/topiary-core/src/atom_collection.rs b/topiary-core/src/atom_collection.rs
index 56d1e00c..a3a71a9c 100644
--- a/topiary-core/src/atom_collection.rs
+++ b/topiary-core/src/atom_collection.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use std::{
     borrow::Cow,
+    cmp::Ordering,
     collections::{HashMap, HashSet},
     mem,
     ops::Deref,
@@ -307,6 +308,34 @@ impl AtomCollection {
                     predicates,
                 );
             }
+            "prepend_begin_measuring_scope" => {
+                self.prepend(
+                    Atom::MeasuringScopeBegin(scope_information_prepend()?),
+                    node,
+                    predicates,
+                );
+            }
+            "append_begin_measuring_scope" => {
+                self.append(
+                    Atom::MeasuringScopeBegin(scope_information_append()?),
+                    node,
+                    predicates,
+                );
+            }
+            "prepend_end_measuring_scope" => {
+                self.prepend(
+                    Atom::MeasuringScopeEnd(scope_information_prepend()?),
+                    node,
+                    predicates,
+                );
+            }
+            "append_end_measuring_scope" => {
+                self.append(
+                    Atom::MeasuringScopeEnd(scope_information_append()?),
+                    node,
+                    predicates,
+                );
+            }
             // Scoped softlines
             "append_empty_scoped_softline" => {
                 let id = self.next_id();
@@ -404,10 +433,29 @@ impl AtomCollection {
     pub fn apply_prepends_and_appends(&mut self) {
         let mut expanded: Vec<Atom> = Vec::new();
 
+        // We sort the prepends/appends so that:
+        // * BeginScope(s) will always be the first element(s)
+        // * EndScope(s) will always be the last element(s)
+        // This permits proper processing of measuring scopes and scoped atoms
+        // that are added at the same place as Begin/EndScopes.
+        fn compare_atoms(a1: &Atom, a2: &Atom) -> Ordering {
+            match (a1, a2) {
+                (Atom::ScopeBegin(_), Atom::ScopeBegin(_)) => Ordering::Equal,
+                (Atom::ScopeBegin(_), _) => Ordering::Less,
+                (_, Atom::ScopeBegin(_)) => Ordering::Greater,
+                (Atom::ScopeEnd(_), Atom::ScopeEnd(_)) => Ordering::Equal,
+                (Atom::ScopeEnd(_), _) => Ordering::Greater,
+                (_, Atom::ScopeEnd(_)) => Ordering::Less,
+                (_, _) => Ordering::Equal,
+            }
+        }
+
         for atom in &mut self.atoms {
             if let Atom::Leaf { id, .. } = atom {
                 let prepends = self.prepend.entry(*id).or_default();
+                prepends.sort_by(compare_atoms);
                 let appends = self.append.entry(*id).or_default();
+                appends.sort_by(compare_atoms);
 
                 // Rather than cloning the atom from the old vector, we
                 // simply take it. This will leave a default (empty) atom
@@ -605,10 +653,16 @@ impl AtomCollection {
         type ScopeId = String;
         type LineIndex = u32;
         type ScopedNodeId = usize;
-        // `opened_scopes` maintains stacks of opened scopes,
-        // the line at which they started,
-        // and the list of `ScopedSoftline` they contain.
-        let mut opened_scopes: HashMap<&ScopeId, Vec<(LineIndex, Vec<&Atom>)>> = HashMap::new();
+        type OpenedScopeInfo<'a> = (LineIndex, Vec<&'a Atom>, Option<bool>);
+        // `opened_scopes` maintains stacks of opened scopes.
+        // For each scope, we record:
+        // * the line at which they started (LineIndex),
+        // * the list of `ScopedSoftline` and `ScopedConditional` they contain (Vec<&Atom>),
+        // * if they contain a measuring scope, whether it is multi-line (Option<bool>).
+        let mut opened_scopes: HashMap<&ScopeId, Vec<OpenedScopeInfo>> = HashMap::new();
+        // `opened_measuring_scopes` maintains stacks of opened measuring scopes,
+        // and the line at which they started.
+        let mut opened_measuring_scopes: HashMap<&ScopeId, Vec<LineIndex>> = HashMap::new();
         // We can't process `ScopedSoftline` in-place as we encounter them in the list of
         // atoms: we need to know when their encompassing scope ends to decide what to
         // replace them with. Instead of in-place modifications, we associate a replacement
@@ -631,16 +685,20 @@ impl AtomCollection {
                 opened_scopes
                     .entry(scope_id)
                     .or_default()
-                    .push((*line_start, Vec::new()));
+                    .push((*line_start, Vec::new(), None));
             } else if let Atom::ScopeEnd(ScopeInformation {
                 line_number: line_end,
                 scope_id,
             }) = atom
             {
-                if let Some((line_start, atoms)) =
+                if let Some((line_start, atoms, measuring_scope)) =
                     opened_scopes.get_mut(scope_id).and_then(Vec::pop)
                 {
-                    let multiline = line_start != *line_end;
+                    let multiline = if let Some(mult) = measuring_scope {
+                        mult
+                    } else {
+                        line_start != *line_end
+                    };
                     for atom in atoms {
                         if let Atom::ScopedSoftline { id, spaced, .. } = atom {
                             let new_atom = if multiline {
@@ -671,9 +729,58 @@ impl AtomCollection {
                     log::warn!("Closing unopened scope {scope_id:?}");
                     force_apply_modifications = true;
                 }
+            // Open measuring scope
+            } else if let Atom::MeasuringScopeBegin(ScopeInformation {
+                line_number: line_start,
+                scope_id,
+            }) = atom
+            {
+                if opened_scopes.entry(scope_id).or_default().is_empty() {
+                    log::warn!(
+                        "Opening measuring scope with no associated regular scope {scope_id:?}"
+                    );
+                    force_apply_modifications = true;
+                } else {
+                    opened_measuring_scopes
+                        .entry(scope_id)
+                        .or_default()
+                        .push(*line_start)
+                }
+            // Close measuring scope and register multi-line-ness in the appropriate regular scope
+            } else if let Atom::MeasuringScopeEnd(ScopeInformation {
+                line_number: line_end,
+                scope_id,
+            }) = atom
+            {
+                if let Some(line_start) =
+                    opened_measuring_scopes.get_mut(scope_id).and_then(Vec::pop)
+                {
+                    let multi_line = line_start != *line_end;
+                    if let Some((regular_line_start, vec, measuring_scope)) =
+                        opened_scopes.get_mut(scope_id).and_then(Vec::pop)
+                    {
+                        if measuring_scope.is_none() {
+                            opened_scopes.entry(scope_id).or_default().push((
+                                regular_line_start,
+                                vec,
+                                Some(multi_line),
+                            ));
+                        } else {
+                            log::warn!("Found several measuring scopes in a single regular scope {scope_id:?}");
+                            force_apply_modifications = true;
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        log::warn!("Found measuring scope outside of regular scope {scope_id:?}");
+                        force_apply_modifications = true;
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    log::warn!("Closing unopened measuring scope {scope_id:?}");
+                    force_apply_modifications = true;
+                }
             // Register the ScopedSoftline in the correct scope
             } else if let Atom::ScopedSoftline { scope_id, .. } = atom {
-                if let Some((_, vec)) = opened_scopes.get_mut(&scope_id).and_then(|v| v.last_mut())
+                if let Some((_, vec, _)) =
+                    opened_scopes.get_mut(&scope_id).and_then(|v| v.last_mut())
                 {
                     vec.push(atom);
                 } else {
@@ -682,7 +789,8 @@ impl AtomCollection {
                 }
             // Register the ScopedConditional in the correct scope
             } else if let Atom::ScopedConditional { scope_id, .. } = atom {
-                if let Some((_, vec)) = opened_scopes.get_mut(&scope_id).and_then(|v| v.last_mut())
+                if let Some((_, vec, _)) =
+                    opened_scopes.get_mut(&scope_id).and_then(|v| v.last_mut())
                 {
                     vec.push(atom);
                 } else {
@@ -691,7 +799,7 @@ impl AtomCollection {
                 }
             }
         }
-        let still_opened: Vec<&String> = opened_scopes
+        let mut still_opened: Vec<&String> = opened_scopes
             .into_iter()
             .filter_map(|(scope_id, vec)| if vec.is_empty() { None } else { Some(scope_id) })
             .collect();
@@ -699,13 +807,25 @@ impl AtomCollection {
             log::warn!("Some scopes have been left opened: {:?}", still_opened);
             force_apply_modifications = true;
         }
+        still_opened = opened_measuring_scopes
+            .into_iter()
+            .filter_map(|(scope_id, vec)| if vec.is_empty() { None } else { Some(scope_id) })
+            .collect();
+        if !still_opened.is_empty() {
+            log::warn!(
+                "Some measuring scopes have been left opened: {:?}",
+                still_opened
+            );
+            force_apply_modifications = true;
+        }
 
         // Remove scopes from the atom list
         for atom in &mut self.atoms {
             match atom {
-                Atom::ScopeBegin(_) | Atom::ScopeEnd(_) => {
-                    *atom = Atom::Empty;
-                }
+                Atom::ScopeBegin(_)
+                | Atom::ScopeEnd(_)
+                | Atom::MeasuringScopeBegin(_)
+                | Atom::MeasuringScopeEnd(_) => *atom = Atom::Empty,
                 _ => {}
             }
         }
@@ -954,7 +1074,8 @@ fn collapse_spaces_before_antispace(v: &mut [Atom]) {
             antispace_mode = true;
         } else if *a == Atom::Space && antispace_mode {
             *a = Atom::Empty;
-        } else {
+        } else if *a != Atom::Empty {
+            // Don't change mode when encountering Empty
             antispace_mode = false;
         }
     }
diff --git a/topiary-core/src/lib.rs b/topiary-core/src/lib.rs
index 99a18e31..cea567fe 100644
--- a/topiary-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/topiary-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -92,20 +92,30 @@ pub enum Atom {
     /// Indicates the end of a scope, use in combination with the
     /// ScopedSoftlines and ScopedConditionals below.
     ScopeEnd(ScopeInformation),
+    // Indicates the beginning of a *measuring* scope, that must be related to a "normal" one.
+    // Used in combination with ScopedSoftlines and ScopedConditionals below.
+    MeasuringScopeBegin(ScopeInformation),
+    // Indicates the end of a *measuring* scope, that must be related to a "normal" one.
+    // Used in combination with ScopedSoftlines and ScopedConditionals below.
+    MeasuringScopeEnd(ScopeInformation),
     /// Scoped commands
-    // ScopedSoftline works together with the @{prepend,append}_begin_scope and
-    // @{prepend,append}_end_scope query tags. To decide if a scoped softline
+    // ScopedSoftline works together with the @{prepend,append}_begin[_measuring]_scope and
+    // @{prepend,append}_end[_measuring]_scope query tags. To decide if a scoped softline
     // must be expanded into a hardline, we look at the innermost scope having
     // the corresponding `scope_id`, that encompasses it. We expand the softline
-    // if that scope is multi-line. The `id` value is here for technical
-    // reasons, it allows tracking of the atom during post-processing.
+    // if that scope is multi-line.
+    // If that scope contains a *measuring* scope with the same `scope_id`, we expand
+    // the node iff that *measuring* scope is multi-line.
+    // The `id` value is here for technical reasons,
+    // it allows tracking of the atom during post-processing.
     ScopedSoftline {
         id: usize,
         scope_id: String,
         spaced: bool,
     },
-    /// Represents an atom that must only be output if the associated scope meets the condition
-    /// (single-line or multi-line)
+    /// Represents an atom that must only be output if the associated scope
+    /// (or its associated measuring scope, see above) meets the condition
+    /// (single-line or multi-line).
     ScopedConditional {
         id: usize,
         scope_id: String,
diff --git a/topiary-queries/queries/ocaml.scm b/topiary-queries/queries/ocaml.scm
index be3bab0f..9d95ec02 100644
--- a/topiary-queries/queries/ocaml.scm
+++ b/topiary-queries/queries/ocaml.scm
@@ -1153,19 +1153,33 @@
 ;     long_argument_3
 ;     long_argument_4
 ;
-; When the last argument is a (parenthesized) function application, end the scope
+; When the last argument is a (parenthesized) function application, end the indentation
 ; _before_ the application. This allows the following to be formatted as such:
 ; let () =
 ;   foo bar (fun x ->
-;       something horrible onto x
+;     something horrible onto x
+;   )
+; But when the function application minus the last argument is multiline,
+; the whole scope still must be indented:
+; let () =
+;   foo
+;     bar
+;     (fun x ->
+;       x
 ;     )
+;
+; Because of these constraints, we must use measuring scopes here: the position of the
+; indent_end depends on the multi-line-ness of a subsection of the whole scope.
 (application_expression
   .
-  (_) @append_indent_start @prepend_begin_scope
+  (_) @append_indent_start @prepend_begin_scope @prepend_begin_measuring_scope
   (#scope_id! "function_application")
-  (_) @append_indent_end
+  (_) @append_end_scope
   .
 )
+; The end of the measuring scope depends on the last argument: if it's a function,
+; end it before the function, otherwise end it after the last argument. In that case,
+; it's the same as the regular scope.
 (application_expression
   (#scope_id! "function_application")
   (_
@@ -1173,7 +1187,7 @@
       (fun_expression)
       (function_expression)
     ]? @do_nothing
-  ) @append_end_scope
+  ) @append_end_measuring_scope
   .
 )
 (application_expression
@@ -1182,10 +1196,24 @@
     [
       (fun_expression)
       (function_expression)
-    ] @prepend_end_scope
+    ] @prepend_end_measuring_scope
   )
   .
 )
+; If the measuring scope is single-line, end indentation _before_ the last node.
+; Otherwise, end the indentation after the last node.
+(application_expression
+  (#multi_line_scope_only! "function_application")
+  (_) @append_indent_end
+  .
+)
+(application_expression
+  (#single_line_scope_only! "function_application")
+  (_) @prepend_indent_end
+  .
+)
+; The node to which we apply append_spaced_scoped_softline will always
+; be in both scopes, regular and measuring.
 (application_expression
   (_) @append_spaced_scoped_softline
   .