diff --git a/docs/reference/actions.md b/docs/reference/actions.md
index fad03108..5df13778 100644
--- a/docs/reference/actions.md
+++ b/docs/reference/actions.md
@@ -141,6 +141,20 @@ You can append `@window` or `@document` to the event name (along with any filter
 </div>
 ```
 
+Alternatively, you can append `@outside` to the event name which will act similar to `@document` but only trigger if the event's target is outside the element with the action.
+
+```html
+<main>
+  <button type="button">Other</button>
+  <div class="popover" data-controller="popover" data-action="click@outside->popover#close">
+    <button data-action="click->popover#close" type="button">Close</button>
+    <p>Popover content... <a href="#">a link</a></p>
+  </div>
+</main>
+```
+
+In the example above, the user can close the popover explicitly via the close button or by clicking anywhere outside the `div.popover`, but clicking on the link inside the popover will not trigger the close action.
+
 ### Options
 
 You can append one or more _action options_ to an action descriptor if you need to specify [DOM event listener options](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/EventTarget/addEventListener#Parameters).
diff --git a/examples/controllers/details_controller.js b/examples/controllers/details_controller.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..925a616b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/controllers/details_controller.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import { Controller } from "@hotwired/stimulus"
+
+export default class extends Controller {
+  close() {
+    this.element.removeAttribute("open")
+  }
+}
diff --git a/examples/index.js b/examples/index.js
index b44c9c76..a89e5f19 100644
--- a/examples/index.js
+++ b/examples/index.js
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ application.register("clipboard", ClipboardController)
 import ContentLoaderController from "./controllers/content_loader_controller"
 application.register("content-loader", ContentLoaderController)
 
+import DetailsController from "./controllers/details_controller"
+application.register("details", DetailsController)
+
 import HelloController from "./controllers/hello_controller"
 application.register("hello", HelloController)
 
diff --git a/examples/server.js b/examples/server.js
index a5573f33..35ad1abb 100644
--- a/examples/server.js
+++ b/examples/server.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const pages = [
   { path: "/clipboard", title: "Clipboard" },
   { path: "/slideshow", title: "Slideshow" },
   { path: "/content-loader", title: "Content Loader" },
+  { path: "/details", title: "Details" },
   { path: "/tabs", title: "Tabs" },
 ]
 
diff --git a/examples/views/details.ejs b/examples/views/details.ejs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5eb6ca6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/views/details.ejs
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+<%- include("layout/head") %>
+
+<strong>Opening outside a details item will close them, clicking inside details will not close that one.</strong>
+
+<details data-controller="details" data-action="click@outside->details#close">
+  <summary>Item 1</summary>
+  <p>These are the details for item 1 with a <button type="button">button</button> and some additional content.</p>
+</details>
+
+<details data-controller="details" data-action="click@outside->details#close">
+  <summary>Item 2</summary>
+  <p>These are the details for item 2 with a <button type="button">button</button> and some additional content.</p>
+</details>
+
+<details data-controller="details" data-action="click@outside->details#close">
+  <summary>Item 3</summary>
+  <p>These are the details for item 3 with a <button type="button">button</button> and some additional content.</p>
+</details>
+
+<details data-controller="details" data-action="click@outside->details#close">
+  <summary>Item 4</summary>
+  <p>These are the details for item 4 with a <button type="button">button</button> and some additional content.</p>
+</details>
+
+<%- include("layout/tail") %>
diff --git a/src/core/action.ts b/src/core/action.ts
index e009399b..898d95bb 100644
--- a/src/core/action.ts
+++ b/src/core/action.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ export class Action {
   readonly eventOptions: AddEventListenerOptions
   readonly identifier: string
   readonly methodName: string
+  readonly globalFilter: string
   readonly keyFilter: string
   readonly schema: Schema
 
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ export class Action {
     this.eventOptions = descriptor.eventOptions || {}
     this.identifier = descriptor.identifier || error("missing identifier")
     this.methodName = descriptor.methodName || error("missing method name")
+    this.globalFilter = descriptor.globalFilter || ""
     this.keyFilter = descriptor.keyFilter || ""
     this.schema = schema
   }
@@ -39,6 +41,13 @@ export class Action {
     return `${this.eventName}${eventFilter}${eventTarget}->${this.identifier}#${this.methodName}`
   }
 
+  shouldIgnoreGlobalEvent(event: Event, element: Element): boolean {
+    if (!this.globalFilter) return false
+    const eventTarget = event.target
+    if (!(eventTarget instanceof Element)) return false
+    return element.contains(eventTarget) // assume that one globalFilter exists ('outside')
+  }
+
   shouldIgnoreKeyboardEvent(event: KeyboardEvent): boolean {
     if (!this.keyFilter) {
       return false
@@ -90,7 +99,7 @@ export class Action {
   }
 
   private get eventTargetName() {
-    return stringifyEventTarget(this.eventTarget)
+    return stringifyEventTarget(this.eventTarget, this.globalFilter)
   }
 
   private get keyMappings() {
diff --git a/src/core/action_descriptor.ts b/src/core/action_descriptor.ts
index 917bf240..088fd915 100644
--- a/src/core/action_descriptor.ts
+++ b/src/core/action_descriptor.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,14 @@ type ActionDescriptorFilterOptions = {
   element: Element
 }
 
+enum GlobalTargets {
+  window = "window",
+  document = "document",
+  outside = "outside",
+}
+
+type GlobalTargetValues = null | keyof typeof GlobalTargets
+
 export const defaultActionDescriptorFilters: ActionDescriptorFilters = {
   stop({ event, value }) {
     if (value) event.stopPropagation()
@@ -35,15 +43,20 @@ export interface ActionDescriptor {
   eventName: string
   identifier: string
   methodName: string
+  globalFilter: string
   keyFilter: string
 }
 
-// capture nos.:                  1      1    2   2     3   3      4               4      5   5    6      6     7  7
-const descriptorPattern = /^(?:(?:([^.]+?)\+)?(.+?)(?:\.(.+?))?(?:@(window|document))?->)?(.+?)(?:#([^:]+?))(?::(.+))?$/
+// See capture number groups in the comment below.
+const descriptorPattern =
+  //      1      1    2   2     3   3      4                       4      5   5    6      6     7  7
+  /^(?:(?:([^.]+?)\+)?(.+?)(?:\.(.+?))?(?:@(window|document|outside))?->)?(.+?)(?:#([^:]+?))(?::(.+))?$/
 
 export function parseActionDescriptorString(descriptorString: string): Partial<ActionDescriptor> {
   const source = descriptorString.trim()
   const matches = source.match(descriptorPattern) || []
+  const globalTargetName = (matches[4] || null) as GlobalTargetValues
+
   let eventName = matches[2]
   let keyFilter = matches[3]
 
@@ -53,19 +66,20 @@ export function parseActionDescriptorString(descriptorString: string): Partial<A
   }
 
   return {
-    eventTarget: parseEventTarget(matches[4]),
+    eventTarget: parseEventTarget(globalTargetName),
     eventName,
     eventOptions: matches[7] ? parseEventOptions(matches[7]) : {},
     identifier: matches[5],
     methodName: matches[6],
+    globalFilter: globalTargetName === GlobalTargets.outside ? GlobalTargets.outside : "",
     keyFilter: matches[1] || keyFilter,
   }
 }
 
-function parseEventTarget(eventTargetName: string): EventTarget | undefined {
-  if (eventTargetName == "window") {
+function parseEventTarget(globalTargetName?: GlobalTargetValues): EventTarget | undefined {
+  if (globalTargetName == GlobalTargets.window) {
     return window
-  } else if (eventTargetName == "document") {
+  } else if (globalTargetName == GlobalTargets.document || globalTargetName === GlobalTargets.outside) {
     return document
   }
 }
@@ -76,10 +90,10 @@ function parseEventOptions(eventOptions: string): AddEventListenerOptions {
     .reduce((options, token) => Object.assign(options, { [token.replace(/^!/, "")]: !/^!/.test(token) }), {})
 }
 
-export function stringifyEventTarget(eventTarget: EventTarget) {
+export function stringifyEventTarget(eventTarget: EventTarget, globalFilter: string): string | undefined {
   if (eventTarget == window) {
-    return "window"
+    return GlobalTargets.window
   } else if (eventTarget == document) {
-    return "document"
+    return globalFilter === GlobalTargets.outside ? GlobalTargets.outside : GlobalTargets.document
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/binding.ts b/src/core/binding.ts
index bbaea3db..e4e00f2c 100644
--- a/src/core/binding.ts
+++ b/src/core/binding.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ export class Binding {
   private willBeInvokedByEvent(event: Event): boolean {
     const eventTarget = event.target
 
+    if (this.action.shouldIgnoreGlobalEvent(event, this.action.element)) {
+      return false
+    }
+
     if (event instanceof KeyboardEvent && this.action.shouldIgnoreKeyboardEvent(event)) {
       return false
     }
diff --git a/src/tests/modules/core/action_tests.ts b/src/tests/modules/core/action_tests.ts
index 4e3c7718..2c764f25 100644
--- a/src/tests/modules/core/action_tests.ts
+++ b/src/tests/modules/core/action_tests.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
+import { Action } from "../../../core/action"
 import { LogControllerTestCase } from "../../cases/log_controller_test_case"
 
 export default class ActionTests extends LogControllerTestCase {
   identifier = "c"
   fixtureHTML = `
-    <div data-controller="c" data-action="keydown@window->c#log">
-      <button data-action="c#log"><span>Log</span></button>
-      <div id="outer" data-action="click->c#log">
+    <div data-controller="c" data-action="keydown@window->c#log focus@outside->c#log">
+      <button id="outer-sibling-button" data-action="c#log"><span>Log</span></button>
+      <div id="outer" data-action="hover@outside->c#log click->c#log">
         <div id="inner" data-controller="c" data-action="click->c#log keyup@window->c#log"></div>
       </div>
       <div id="multiple" data-action="click->c#log click->c#log2 mousedown->c#log"></div>
     </div>
-    <div id="outside"></div>
+    <div id="outside">
+      <button type="button" id="outside-inner-button">Outside inner button</button>
+    </div>
     <svg id="svgRoot" data-controller="c" data-action="click->c#log">
       <circle id="svgChild" data-action="mousedown->c#log" cx="5" cy="5" r="5">
     </svg>
@@ -66,4 +69,37 @@ export default class ActionTests extends LogControllerTestCase {
     await this.triggerEvent("#svgChild", "mousedown")
     this.assertActions({ name: "log", eventType: "click" }, { name: "log", eventType: "mousedown" })
   }
+
+  async "test global 'outside' action that excludes outside elements"() {
+    await this.triggerEvent("#outer-sibling-button", "focus")
+
+    this.assertNoActions()
+
+    await this.triggerEvent("#outside-inner-button", "focus")
+    await this.triggerEvent("#svgRoot", "focus")
+
+    this.assertActions({ name: "log", eventType: "focus" }, { name: "log", eventType: "focus" })
+
+    // validate that the action token string correctly resolves to the original action
+    const attributeName = "data-action"
+    const element = document.getElementById("outer") as Element
+    const [content] = (element.getAttribute("data-action") || "").split(" ")
+    const action = Action.forToken({ content, element, index: 0, attributeName }, this.application.schema)
+
+    this.assert.equal("hover@outside->c#log", `${action}`)
+  }
+
+  async "test global 'outside' action that excludes the element with attached action"() {
+    // an event from inside the controlled element but outside the element with the action
+    await this.triggerEvent("#inner", "hover")
+
+    // an event on the element with the action
+    await this.triggerEvent("#outer", "hover")
+
+    this.assertNoActions()
+
+    // an event inside the controlled element but outside the element with the action
+    await this.triggerEvent("#outer-sibling-button", "hover")
+    this.assertActions({ name: "log", eventType: "hover" })
+  }
 }