diff --git a/bpython/importcompletion.py b/bpython/importcompletion.py
index e22b61f6..e9bff7fd 100644
--- a/bpython/importcompletion.py
+++ b/bpython/importcompletion.py
@@ -162,12 +162,24 @@ def complete(self, cursor_offset: int, line: str) -> set[str] | None:
         else:
             return None
 
+    def _is_skipped(self, path: Path) -> bool:
+        for pattern in self.skiplist:
+            if Path(pattern).is_absolute():
+                if any(
+                    fnmatch.fnmatch(str(parent), pattern)
+                    for parent in (path, *path.parents)
+                ):
+                    return True
+            elif fnmatch.fnmatch(path.name, pattern):
+                return True
+        return False
+
     def find_modules(self, path: Path) -> Generator[str | None, None, None]:
         """Find all modules (and packages) for a given directory."""
         if not path.is_dir():
             # Perhaps a zip file
             return
-        if any(fnmatch.fnmatch(path.name, entry) for entry in self.skiplist):
+        if self._is_skipped(path):
             # Path is on skiplist
             return
 
@@ -177,9 +189,7 @@ def find_modules(self, path: Path) -> Generator[str | None, None, None]:
                 if p.name.startswith(".") or p.name == "__pycache__":
                     # Impossible to import from names starting with . and we can skip __pycache__
                     continue
-                elif any(
-                    fnmatch.fnmatch(p.name, entry) for entry in self.skiplist
-                ):
+                elif self._is_skipped(p):
                     # Path is on skiplist
                     continue
                 elif not any(p.name.endswith(suffix) for suffix in SUFFIXES):
diff --git a/bpython/test/test_importcompletion.py b/bpython/test/test_importcompletion.py
index 814d3c31..bc513a5c 100644
--- a/bpython/test/test_importcompletion.py
+++ b/bpython/test/test_importcompletion.py
@@ -192,6 +192,40 @@ def test_simple_symbolic_link_loop(self):
         self.assertFalse(filepaths)
 
 
+class TestSkiplist(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_absolute_paths(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as directory:
+            root = Path(directory).resolve()
+            for name in ("first", "second"):
+                (root / name).mkdir()
+                (root / name / "__init__.py").touch()
+                (root / name / "inside.py").touch()
+
+            cases = (
+                ([root], str(root), set()),
+                ([root], str(root / "first"), {"second", "second.inside"}),
+                ([root / "first"], str(root), set()),
+            )
+            for paths, skip, expected in cases:
+                with self.subTest(paths=paths, skip=skip):
+                    gatherer = ModuleGatherer(paths, [skip])
+                    while gatherer.find_coroutine():
+                        pass
+                    self.assertEqual(gatherer.modules, expected)
+
+    def test_relative_name_pattern_remains_supported(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as directory:
+            root = Path(directory).resolve()
+            for name in ("first", "second"):
+                (root / name).mkdir()
+                (root / name / "__init__.py").touch()
+                (root / name / "inside.py").touch()
+            gatherer = ModuleGatherer([root], ["f*"])
+            while gatherer.find_coroutine():
+                pass
+            self.assertEqual(gatherer.modules, {"second", "second.inside"})
+
+
 class TestBugReports(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_issue_847(self):
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as import_test_folder:
diff --git a/doc/sphinx/source/configuration-options.rst b/doc/sphinx/source/configuration-options.rst
index 1521542e..3e8fb0cf 100644
--- a/doc/sphinx/source/configuration-options.rst
+++ b/doc/sphinx/source/configuration-options.rst
@@ -186,7 +186,13 @@ Whether to use Unicode characters to draw boxes (default: True).
 
 import_completion_skiplist
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-A `:`-seperated list of patterns to skip when processing modules for import completion.
+A ``:``-separated list of patterns to skip when processing modules for import
+completion. A name pattern such as ``node_modules`` or ``build*`` matches names
+at any level. On POSIX systems, an absolute path such as ``/home/user/projects``
+skips that directory and its descendants, including when a descendant is itself
+on the module search path. Paths are matched against resolved filesystem paths.
+The colon separator means that Windows drive-letter paths cannot be specified
+in this option.
 
 .. versionadded:: 0.21