diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4d5f3bb..412df35 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.2.0 - Unreleased
+
+- Add `JsonMask.except` and `JsonMask.compile_except`, which apply a selector as an exclusion:
+  matched fields are removed and every other field passes through unchanged.
+
 ## 0.1.0 - Unreleased
 
 - Implement Google partial-response and JSON Mask field selectors.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a27debb..70e06b3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -58,6 +58,36 @@ This makes an optional HTTP `fields` parameter straightforward:
 render json: JsonMask.call(payload, params[:fields])
 ```
 
+## Exclusion masks
+
+`JsonMask.except` applies a selector as an exclusion: matched fields are removed and every other
+field passes through unchanged.
+
+```ruby
+JsonMask.except(response, "permissions/email")
+# => {
+#      "id" => "abc123",
+#      "name" => "Product demo",
+#      "permissions" => [{"id" => "owner", "role" => "owner"}]
+#    }
+```
+
+`JsonMask.compile_except` compiles a reusable exclusion mask, mirroring `JsonMask.compile`:
+
+```ruby
+mask = JsonMask.compile_except("email,phone_number")
+
+mask.call(first_response)
+mask.call(second_response)
+```
+
+Exclusion masks use the same selector grammar, parser limits, and traversal rules as selection.
+Sub-selections and slash paths remove nested fields while keeping their parents
+(`permissions(email)` keeps `permissions` but removes each entry's `email`), arrays are traversed
+transparently, and a wildcard removes every field at its level. Selectors naming missing fields
+are a no-op, scalars under a nested exclusion are kept as-is, and a `nil` or blank selector
+removes nothing.
+
 ## Selector syntax
 
 The syntax is loosely based on XPath:
diff --git a/lib/json_mask.rb b/lib/json_mask.rb
index 102e6ac..bf7f476 100644
--- a/lib/json_mask.rb
+++ b/lib/json_mask.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 require_relative 'json_mask/selection_tree'
 require_relative 'json_mask/parser'
 require_relative 'json_mask/projector'
+require_relative 'json_mask/exclusion_projector'
 require_relative 'json_mask/compiled_mask'
 
 # Filters JSON-compatible Ruby values using Google partial-response selectors.
@@ -41,7 +42,27 @@ def compile(
 
       CompiledMask.new(fields, selection_tree)
     end
+
+    def except(value, fields, **options)
+      compile_except(fields, **options).call(value)
+    end
+
+    def compile_except(
+      fields,
+      max_length: Parser::DEFAULT_MAX_LENGTH,
+      max_depth: Parser::DEFAULT_MAX_DEPTH,
+      max_selectors: Parser::DEFAULT_MAX_SELECTORS
+    )
+      selection_tree = Parser.new(
+        fields,
+        max_length:,
+        max_depth:,
+        max_selectors:
+      ).parse
+
+      CompiledMask.new(fields, selection_tree, projector: ExclusionProjector)
+    end
   end
 
-  private_constant :Parser, :Projector, :Selection, :SelectionTree
+  private_constant :Parser, :Projector, :ExclusionProjector, :Selection, :SelectionTree
 end
diff --git a/lib/json_mask/compiled_mask.rb b/lib/json_mask/compiled_mask.rb
index ebd6747..ca911f7 100644
--- a/lib/json_mask/compiled_mask.rb
+++ b/lib/json_mask/compiled_mask.rb
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ module JsonMask
   class CompiledMask
     attr_reader :fields
 
-    def initialize(fields, selection_tree)
+    def initialize(fields, selection_tree, projector: Projector)
       @fields = fields&.dup&.freeze
       @selection_tree = selection_tree
+      @projector = projector
       freeze
     end
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ def initialize(fields, selection_tree)
     def call(value)
       return value unless @selection_tree
 
-      Projector.call(value, @selection_tree)
+      @projector.call(value, @selection_tree)
     end
 
     alias filter call
diff --git a/lib/json_mask/exclusion_projector.rb b/lib/json_mask/exclusion_projector.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..233cc57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/json_mask/exclusion_projector.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module JsonMask
+  # Applies a compiled selection tree as an exclusion: matched fields are
+  # removed and every other field passes through unchanged.
+  module ExclusionProjector
+    module_function
+
+    def call(value, selection_tree)
+      exclude(value, selection_tree)
+    end
+
+    def exclude(value, selection_tree)
+      case value
+      when Hash
+        exclude_hash(value, selection_tree)
+      when Array
+        exclude_array(value, selection_tree)
+      else
+        value
+      end
+    end
+
+    def exclude_hash(value, selection_tree)
+      value.each_with_object({}) do |(key, field_value), result|
+        selection = selection_tree.selection_for(key)
+
+        if selection.nil?
+          result[key] = field_value
+        elsif !selection.leaf?
+          result[key] = exclude(field_value, selection.children)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    def exclude_array(value, selection_tree)
+      value.map { |item| exclude(item, selection_tree) }
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/json_mask/version.rb b/lib/json_mask/version.rb
index a7ad417..141f165 100644
--- a/lib/json_mask/version.rb
+++ b/lib/json_mask/version.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module JsonMask
-  VERSION = '0.1.0'
+  VERSION = '0.2.0'
 end
diff --git a/test/json_mask_test.rb b/test/json_mask_test.rb
index 4ba6706..0946ddc 100644
--- a/test/json_mask_test.rb
+++ b/test/json_mask_test.rb
@@ -282,4 +282,121 @@ def test_limits_must_be_positive_integers
 
     assert_equal 'max_depth must be a positive Integer', error.message
   end
+
+  def test_except_removes_top_level_fields
+    input = { 'id' => 1, 'name' => 'Demo', 'email' => 'owner@example.com' }
+
+    assert_equal({ 'id' => 1, 'name' => 'Demo' }, JsonMask.except(input, 'email'))
+  end
+
+  def test_except_removes_nested_fields_with_slashes
+    input = {
+      'name' => 'Demo',
+      'capabilities' => { 'canDownload' => true, 'canEdit' => false }
+    }
+
+    expected = { 'name' => 'Demo', 'capabilities' => { 'canDownload' => true } }
+
+    assert_equal expected, JsonMask.except(input, 'capabilities/canEdit')
+  end
+
+  def test_except_subselections_traverse_objects_and_arrays
+    input = {
+      'files' => [
+        {
+          'id' => 'one',
+          'permissions' => [{ 'role' => 'owner', 'email' => 'owner@example.com' }]
+        },
+        { 'id' => 'two', 'permissions' => [] }
+      ],
+      'nextPageToken' => 'next'
+    }
+
+    expected = {
+      'files' => [
+        { 'id' => 'one', 'permissions' => [{ 'role' => 'owner' }] },
+        { 'id' => 'two', 'permissions' => [] }
+      ],
+      'nextPageToken' => 'next'
+    }
+
+    assert_equal expected, JsonMask.except(input, 'files(permissions(email))')
+  end
+
+  def test_except_removes_whole_subtrees
+    input = { 'id' => 1, 'permissions' => [{ 'role' => 'owner' }] }
+
+    assert_equal({ 'id' => 1 }, JsonMask.except(input, 'permissions'))
+  end
+
+  def test_except_applies_to_each_item_of_a_top_level_array
+    input = [
+      { 'id' => 1, 'email' => 'a@example.com' },
+      { 'id' => 2, 'email' => 'b@example.com' }
+    ]
+
+    assert_equal [{ 'id' => 1 }, { 'id' => 2 }], JsonMask.except(input, 'email')
+  end
+
+  def test_except_keeps_scalars_and_nils_under_nested_exclusions
+    input = { 'a' => 1, 'b' => nil, 'c' => { 'x' => 1, 'y' => 2 } }
+
+    expected = { 'a' => 1, 'b' => nil, 'c' => { 'x' => 1 } }
+
+    assert_equal expected, JsonMask.except(input, 'a/x,b/x,c/y')
+  end
+
+  def test_except_missing_fields_are_a_noop
+    input = { 'id' => 1 }
+
+    assert_equal({ 'id' => 1 }, JsonMask.except(input, 'email,contact/email'))
+  end
+
+  def test_except_wildcard_removes_every_field
+    input = { 'id' => 1, 'nested' => { 'x' => 1 } }
+
+    assert_empty JsonMask.except(input, '*')
+  end
+
+  def test_except_nested_wildcard_empties_the_field
+    input = { 'id' => 1, 'nested' => { 'x' => 1, 'y' => 2 } }
+
+    assert_equal({ 'id' => 1, 'nested' => {} }, JsonMask.except(input, 'nested/*'))
+  end
+
+  def test_except_with_blank_selectors_returns_the_value_unchanged
+    input = { 'id' => 1 }
+
+    assert_same input, JsonMask.except(input, nil)
+    assert_same input, JsonMask.except(input, '')
+    assert_same input, JsonMask.except(input, " \n\t")
+  end
+
+  def test_except_preserves_symbol_keys_and_does_not_mutate_the_input
+    input = { id: 1, email: 'owner@example.com' }
+
+    assert_equal({ id: 1 }, JsonMask.except(input, 'email'))
+    assert_equal({ id: 1, email: 'owner@example.com' }, input)
+  end
+
+  def test_compiled_exclusion_masks_can_be_reused
+    mask = JsonMask.compile_except('email')
+
+    assert_predicate mask, :frozen?
+    assert_equal 'email', mask.fields
+    assert_equal({ 'id' => 1 }, mask.call({ 'id' => 1, 'email' => 'a@example.com' }))
+    assert_equal({ 'id' => 2 }, mask.filter({ 'id' => 2, 'email' => 'b@example.com' }))
+  end
+
+  def test_compile_except_enforces_limits
+    assert_raises(JsonMask::LimitError) { JsonMask.compile_except('abcdef', max_length: 5) }
+    assert_raises(JsonMask::LimitError) { JsonMask.compile_except('a/b/c', max_depth: 2) }
+    assert_raises(JsonMask::LimitError) { JsonMask.compile_except('a,b,c', max_selectors: 2) }
+  end
+
+  def test_compile_except_rejects_malformed_selectors
+    error = assert_raises(JsonMask::ParseError) { JsonMask.compile_except('files(id') }
+
+    assert_equal 'files(id', error.expression
+  end
 end