diff --git a/sphinx/util/__init__.py b/sphinx/util/__init__.py
index 18e9f8701..bfe99778a 100644
--- a/sphinx/util/__init__.py
+++ b/sphinx/util/__init__.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ from sphinx.util.matching import patfilter  # noqa
 
 if False:
     # For type annotation
-    from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, IO, Iterable, Iterator, List, Pattern, Sequence, Set, Tuple, Union  # NOQA
+    from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, IO, Iterable, Iterator, List, Pattern, Sequence, Set, Tuple, Type, Union  # NOQA
 
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -676,6 +676,10 @@ def status_iterator(iterable, summary, color="darkgreen", length=0, verbosity=0,
         logger.info('')
 
 
+class SkipProgressMessage(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
 class progress_message:
     def __init__(self, message):
         # type: (str) -> None
@@ -686,8 +690,13 @@ class progress_message:
         logger.info(bold(self.message + '... '), nonl=True)
 
     def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, traceback):
-        # type: (Any, Any, Any) -> bool
-        if exc_type:
+        # type: (Type[Exception], Exception, Any) -> bool
+        if isinstance(exc_value, SkipProgressMessage):
+            logger.info(__('skipped'))
+            if exc_value.args:
+                logger.info(*exc_value.args)
+            return True
+        elif exc_type:
             logger.info(__('failed'))
         else:
             logger.info(__('done'))
diff --git a/tests/test_util.py b/tests/test_util.py
index 0860ac6a4..0926096f4 100644
--- a/tests/test_util.py
+++ b/tests/test_util.py
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ import sphinx
 from sphinx.errors import PycodeError
 from sphinx.testing.util import strip_escseq
 from sphinx.util import (
-    display_chunk, encode_uri, ensuredir, get_module_source, parselinenos, status_iterator,
-    xmlname_checker
+    SkipProgressMessage, display_chunk, encode_uri, ensuredir, get_module_source,
+    parselinenos, progress_message, status_iterator, xmlname_checker
 )
 from sphinx.util import logging
 
@@ -123,6 +123,44 @@ def test_parselinenos():
         parselinenos('3-1', 10)
 
 
+def test_progress_message(app, status, warning):
+    logging.setup(app, status, warning)
+    logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+    # standard case
+    with progress_message('testing'):
+        logger.info('blah ', nonl=True)
+
+    output = strip_escseq(status.getvalue())
+    assert 'testing... blah done\n' in output
+
+    # skipping case
+    with progress_message('testing'):
+        raise SkipProgressMessage('Reason: %s', 'error')
+
+    output = strip_escseq(status.getvalue())
+    assert 'testing... skipped\nReason: error\n' in output
+
+    # error case
+    try:
+        with progress_message('testing'):
+            raise
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+    output = strip_escseq(status.getvalue())
+    assert 'testing... failed\n' in output
+
+    # decorator
+    @progress_message('testing')
+    def func():
+        logger.info('in func ', nonl=True)
+
+    func()
+    output = strip_escseq(status.getvalue())
+    assert 'testing... in func done\n' in output
+
+
 def test_xmlname_check():
     checker = xmlname_checker()
     assert checker.match('id-pub')