diff --git a/crates/egui/src/painter.rs b/crates/egui/src/painter.rs
index e318fbcd..8689ec81 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/painter.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/painter.rs
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ pub struct Painter {
     /// If set, all shapes will have their colors modified to be closer to this.
     /// This is used to implement grayed out interfaces.
     fade_to_color: Option<Color32>,
+
+    /// If set, all shapes will have their colors modified with [`Color32::gamma_multiply`] with
+    /// this value as the factor.
+    /// This is used to make interfaces semi-transparent.
+    opacity_factor: f32,
 }
 
 impl Painter {
@@ -38,6 +43,7 @@ impl Painter {
             layer_id,
             clip_rect,
             fade_to_color: None,
+            opacity_factor: 1.0,
         }
     }
 
@@ -49,6 +55,7 @@ impl Painter {
             layer_id,
             clip_rect: self.clip_rect,
             fade_to_color: None,
+            opacity_factor: 1.0,
         }
     }
 
@@ -62,6 +69,7 @@ impl Painter {
             layer_id: self.layer_id,
             clip_rect: rect.intersect(self.clip_rect),
             fade_to_color: self.fade_to_color,
+            opacity_factor: self.opacity_factor,
         }
     }
 
@@ -75,6 +83,12 @@ impl Painter {
         self.fade_to_color = fade_to_color;
     }
 
+    pub(crate) fn set_opacity(&mut self, opacity: f32) {
+        if opacity.is_finite() {
+            self.opacity_factor = opacity.clamp(0.0, 1.0);
+        }
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn is_visible(&self) -> bool {
         self.fade_to_color != Some(Color32::TRANSPARENT)
     }
@@ -151,13 +165,16 @@ impl Painter {
         if let Some(fade_to_color) = self.fade_to_color {
             tint_shape_towards(shape, fade_to_color);
         }
+        if self.opacity_factor < 1.0 {
+            multiply_opacity(shape, self.opacity_factor);
+        }
     }
 
     /// It is up to the caller to make sure there is room for this.
     /// Can be used for free painting.
     /// NOTE: all coordinates are screen coordinates!
     pub fn add(&self, shape: impl Into<Shape>) -> ShapeIdx {
-        if self.fade_to_color == Some(Color32::TRANSPARENT) {
+        if self.fade_to_color == Some(Color32::TRANSPARENT) || self.opacity_factor == 0.0 {
             self.paint_list(|l| l.add(self.clip_rect, Shape::Noop))
         } else {
             let mut shape = shape.into();
@@ -170,10 +187,10 @@ impl Painter {
     ///
     /// Calling this once is generally faster than calling [`Self::add`] multiple times.
     pub fn extend<I: IntoIterator<Item = Shape>>(&self, shapes: I) {
-        if self.fade_to_color == Some(Color32::TRANSPARENT) {
+        if self.fade_to_color == Some(Color32::TRANSPARENT) || self.opacity_factor == 0.0 {
             return;
         }
-        if self.fade_to_color.is_some() {
+        if self.fade_to_color.is_some() || self.opacity_factor < 1.0 {
             let shapes = shapes.into_iter().map(|mut shape| {
                 self.transform_shape(&mut shape);
                 shape
@@ -181,7 +198,7 @@ impl Painter {
             self.paint_list(|l| l.extend(self.clip_rect, shapes));
         } else {
             self.paint_list(|l| l.extend(self.clip_rect, shapes));
-        };
+        }
     }
 
     /// Modify an existing [`Shape`].
@@ -496,3 +513,11 @@ fn tint_shape_towards(shape: &mut Shape, target: Color32) {
         }
     });
 }
+
+fn multiply_opacity(shape: &mut Shape, opacity: f32) {
+    epaint::shape_transform::adjust_colors(shape, &|color| {
+        if *color != Color32::PLACEHOLDER {
+            *color = color.gamma_multiply(opacity);
+        }
+    });
+}
diff --git a/crates/egui/src/ui.rs b/crates/egui/src/ui.rs
index 1d65253e..087d2dd8 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/ui.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/ui.rs
@@ -277,6 +277,26 @@ impl Ui {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Make the widget in this [`Ui`] semi-transparent.
+    ///
+    /// `opacity` must be between 0.0 and 1.0, where 0.0 means fully transparent (i.e., invisible)
+    /// and 1.0 means fully opaque (i.e., the same as not calling the method at all).
+    ///
+    /// ### Example
+    /// ```
+    /// # egui::__run_test_ui(|ui| {
+    /// ui.group(|ui| {
+    ///     ui.set_opacity(0.5);
+    ///     if ui.button("Half-transparent button").clicked() {
+    ///         /* … */
+    ///     }
+    /// });
+    /// # });
+    /// ```
+    pub fn set_opacity(&mut self, opacity: f32) {
+        self.painter.set_opacity(opacity);
+    }
+
     /// Read the [`Layout`].
     #[inline]
     pub fn layout(&self) -> &Layout {
diff --git a/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/widget_gallery.rs b/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/widget_gallery.rs
index 4189e61c..ac55a4d0 100644
--- a/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/widget_gallery.rs
+++ b/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/widget_gallery.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ pub struct WidgetGallery {
     enabled: bool,
     visible: bool,
     boolean: bool,
+    opacity: f32,
     radio: Enum,
     scalar: f32,
     string: String,
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ impl Default for WidgetGallery {
         Self {
             enabled: true,
             visible: true,
+            opacity: 1.0,
             boolean: false,
             radio: Enum::First,
             scalar: 42.0,
@@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ impl super::View for WidgetGallery {
     fn ui(&mut self, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
         ui.add_enabled_ui(self.enabled, |ui| {
             ui.set_visible(self.visible);
+            ui.set_opacity(self.opacity);
 
             egui::Grid::new("my_grid")
                 .num_columns(2)
@@ -79,6 +82,12 @@ impl super::View for WidgetGallery {
             if self.visible {
                 ui.checkbox(&mut self.enabled, "Interactive")
                     .on_hover_text("Uncheck to inspect how the widgets look when disabled.");
+                (ui.add(
+                    egui::DragValue::new(&mut self.opacity)
+                        .speed(0.01)
+                        .clamp_range(0.0..=1.0),
+                ) | ui.label("Opacity"))
+                .on_hover_text("Reduce this value to make widgets semi-transparent");
             }
         });
 
@@ -99,6 +108,7 @@ impl WidgetGallery {
         let Self {
             enabled: _,
             visible: _,
+            opacity: _,
             boolean,
             radio,
             scalar,